


You've saved us: Now let us save you

by Rainbowfootsteps



Category: Gundam ZZ, Zeta Gundam
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Caretaking, Comfort/Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mecha, Post-Canon, Romance, Slow Burn, Sort Of, kamille and his two dumb dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-05-27 03:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15015341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowfootsteps/pseuds/Rainbowfootsteps
Summary: After the fight against the Titans and Neo Zeon, Kamille is badly injured. Bright and Char rush to Earth in search of Amuro's assistance: Kamille needs to be taken care of, but Amuro and Char are the only ones available for the job. They both have physical wounds and mental scars, but they must look past them to help Kamille. As they work together to evade Titan remnants and get along with each other, Amuro and Char must confront their feelings about - and for - each other.





	1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Just so you know, this fic contains spoilers for the end of Zeta. The canon compliance is a mix of Zeta, Zeta: a new translation, and ZZ gundam. I haven't seen gundam Evolve so we're just gonna pretend it doesn't exist ;3c

Despite gravity firmly holding Amuro to the ground, he still felt untethered. A rock cast into the endless reaches of space, hopeless to fight against the tides of time. The only difference was the jasmine scent of cleanliness, and Lieutenant Commander Bright Noa standing in front of him.

“I’m glad to see you again, Amuro.” Bright said, extending his hand. Amuro stared at Bright blankly for a moment, but military instinct eventually kicked in and he returned the handshake. He’d heard the news. The AEUG’s victory was the biggest thing, of course - but any thought of celebration quickly faded when he saw the list of casualties. His stomach turned to see Katz’s name, typed out soullessly by some computer. The thought of telling Fraw made bile rise in his throat. 

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here.” Bright’s voice snapped him out of his stupor. Amuro blinked and gestured towards a chair.

“Please, lieutenant commander, sit down.” He said. Bright smiled tiredly. 

“Please, just Bright. Even if it’s just for today.” He replied. Bright looked older; his ever serious face bore the beginnings of forehead wrinkles, a suggestion of the endless deaths he had borne witness to. He was wearing his military uniform, but had come in a small civilian cargo shuttle to Amuro’s mansion. He probably couldn’t spare any ships - the Earth Federation had been running around like headless chickens since Gryps. At least that meant Amuro’s mansion had been blissfully unsupervised for two weeks now. 

“Well, Bright. Is there anything I can get you? Coffee?” Amuro asked, but Bright shook his head.

“No, thank you. I’d - well, I have something to tell you.” The quiet tone of Bright’s voice made Amuro’s blood run cold. He slowly lowered himself into the chair opposite Bright. The afternoon sun filtered onto them through the lounge’s large window, bathing them in soft yellow. 

“I’ve seen the casualty list. If this is about Katz, I know. I invited Fraw over tomorrow,” 

“It’s not about Katz.” Bright sighed. His eyes flickered to the side, but then stared directly at him. “Amuro, during the final battle, Kamille got into some kind of terrible fight with Paptimus Scirocco. It was - well, I’ve never seen anything like it. I think it was some sort of Newtype ability. He survived, but he was seriously injured. The Argama is nearly inoperable so there’s no way he could remain on board. I may be acting rashly, but I took a ship from Colony 1 as soon as I could to get here.” 

“So you’re taking him to an Earth hospital?” Amuro asked. Bright shifted uncomfortably. 

“Amuro, the AEUG aren’t exactly liked by the majority of the Earth Federation politicians right now. Titan and Zeon sympathisers would love to kill Kamille given half the chance. He needs to be somewhere safe.”

Ah. 

“Bright, I can’t do that. I’m basically trespassing right now. The only reason we’re both able to be here is because the Earth Federation has bigger problems right now. I mean, Karaba needs me. I’m working with Hayato right now…”

Bright leant forward, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. “I thought you might say that.”

“I’m sorry. I can call an ambulance or something - is he still in your shuttle? You really shouldn’t have come all this way with him if he’s wounded. I mean, even if I wasn’t basically under house arrest -”

“Amuro.” Bright’s cold glare stopped him dead.

“I’ve known you for seven years now. You’re not a coward. A flimsy state of house arrest isn’t enough to stop a Gundam pilot from doing the right thing! Pull yourself together, Lieutenant.” Bright’s words felt like a slap. He seemed to begin another rousing speech, but his glare softened. 

“Please. The fighting has destroyed him. As a father I wish I could take care of him, but I’m needed back in space. You’re the only one I could turn to.” Amuro’s breath hitched in his throat. Nothing Bright had said to him had ever been so raw.

“What about Char? He wasn’t on the list. I would have felt his death. Where is he?” Amuro demanded.

“He’s with me. He’s injured too, but he refused to leave Kamille’s side.” Bright replied. Amuro stood up and began pacing.

“So, you came all this way to deliver my mortal enemy to me, and ask that I do something that will definitely put me on the Federation’s hit list. Any sane person would turn you away,” 

Amuro sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “But I suppose I’m not very sane, am I?”

* * *

The shuttle had landed on Amuro’s private runway. The battered metal, worn tyres and smell of smoke were a startling contrast to the peaceful garden surrounding it. The cargo doors began to hiss open as they approached.. As the interior was slowly revealed, Amuro saw an unmistakable blond head of hair. Clunk. The door hit the ground a little too hard. Char began to walk towards Amuro. He was wearing a light red normal suit that had clearly seen better days - a tear on the arm had been patched with white tape, and a suspicious red stain blossomed from the side of his chest. The helmet, cracks reaching out like spider legs on the glass, hung from his gloved hand. 

“Hello again, Amuro.” Char waved with his free hand.

“Come to laugh at me again?” Amuro called up. Char smiled a little. If he didn’t have those damn glasses on, Amuro would know what he really felt. As it was, Char gestured for them to board the small ship. 

As soon as they had walked aboard, Bright ushered Amuro to the back of the cargo bay. Amongst crates strapped to the ground by orange mesh, a gurney had been tied to the floor. Amuro could see Kamille. His blue hair framed his head like a halo against the white pillow. He looked asleep, buried under fluffy blankets and still strapped into the bed from re-entry. On his face, Amuro could see many small cuts and bruises, and a trail of blood down the side of his face that had clearly been hastily cleaned. 

“He fought well.” Bright commented.

“Another young victim of senseless war.” Amuro muttered. Indecision rumbled within him. How on earth could he help Kamille? Where would he go? Would Char come with them? That wouldn’t end well. Was Fa here?

“Where’s Fa?” Amuro asked, looking around.

“She’s still on the Argama. The Methuss and the Zeta are the only mobile suits we have left, so she’s the only one who can protect the crew right now. She wanted to come, but she knew she couldn’t. Perhaps when we can afford to lose her, she’ll be able to come to Earth.” Bright replied. 

“I see…” Amuro looked around the shuttle. There was hardly anything else in the cargo area, Bright had clearly set off in a hurry. He glanced at Char.

“Doesn’t this go against your principles?” He asked. Char smiled again - but again, whether it was genuine or not, Amuro couldn’t tell.

“Yes. After all this it feels ironic to set foot on Earth. But I can’t forgive what the Titans and Zeon did to Kamille. I hurt him, too. I foolishly tried to make a soldier out of a child. How history repeats itself… So it’s my duty to take care of him. But I don’t have anything on Earth.” He scratched the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable. Amuro raised an eyebrow. This was the prince of Zeon’s first time experiencing having no power or influence. “We need your help. He needs your help.” Char said, glancing at Kamille. While Amuro could feel the life still stubbornly persistent in Kamille, he could also sense incredible unease. Whatever had happened in space, it had shook Kamille to his core. All while Amuro had been cowering his mansion.

“We thought you might be with Karaba right now.” Char said. “Weren’t you helping them when we returned to space?”

“I was.” Amuro replied. “I was made the commander of the 18th Tactical Fighter Aggressor Squadron, and while you’ve been fighting out there in space, I was down here clearing the Titans out of North America. But a couple of weeks ago my Zeta got shot down and my arm…” Amuro shook off his jacket. Pulling up his left sleeve to the elbow revealed a bandage wrapped around his wrist and forearm. He carefully omitted the panic attack he’d had in the smashed cockpit.

“I’m useless in a fight right now, so they gave me three weeks to recover. I came back here to find the place hasn’t been touched since I left. Now I wonder if you contacted Hayato about this before you came.”

Bright nodded. “I sent him a message some time ago, but I didn’t realise you would be on sick leave. We came here on the off chance you might be around. Otherwise we would have had to track down the Audhumla.” 

“Our plan seemed better thought out in space, but we’re not exactly in the best shape right now.” Char said dryly. “The only thought on our mind was getting Kamille as far from Neo Zeon as possible.” 

Amuro bit his lip. The mansion wouldn’t be left alone much longer. At some point someone was sure to realise ace pilot Amuro Ray had left his estate to fight for the AEUG with seemingly no intention of coming back, at which point the Federation would probably ‘take it off his hands’ and give it to some bigwig. What a grand thank you. 

“Well… We can probably stay here for a few days. But after that -” Amuro began to speak but Bright interrupted.

“Don’t worry, we planned at least that much.” On top of one of the cargo crates was a white package, which Bright picked up and handed to Amuro.

“There are falsified passports in there for all of you, and as much money as I could spare. All I ask is that you protect Kamille until he gets better. Then you can do whatever you’d like.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Amuro glanced again at the bedbound teenager. Each time he looked at Kamille, it sent another guilty spike through his heart.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Bridge replied grimly. All three men glanced down at Kamille.

“He saved all our lives. I wish there was more we could do to repay him.” Char murmured.

“Let’s start by getting him inside. You need that wound looked at as well - Quattro?” Amuro hazarded, but Char waved him off.

“Char is fine. I’m alright, really. It can wait until Kamille’s safe.” He replied. Char knelt down and began untying the ropes from the bottom of the gurney. 

“Bright, will you help me prepare a room for him inside?” Amuro asked. Bright looked away.

“I’m sorry, Amuro. I have to leave as soon as possible. Haman Karn is still out there - everyone is at risk unless we can stop her.” He replied. He gently laid a hand on Amuro’s shoulder.

“Thank you.” Bright smiled - a rare sight - and saluted to the two men. Amuro couldn’t help but feel that it would be a long time before they saw each other again.

* * *

Getting Kamille into the mansion was no easy task. The gurney was old fashioned technology, and the wheels would constantly turn in like a twisted ankle. Eventually, however, Amuro and a Char lifted him onto Amuro’s bed. He was wearing light blue pyjamas, and his skin was slightly cold to the touch. As soon as he was in bed, Amuro busied himself gathering up medical supplies. The bathroom yielded gauze and antibiotics, but little else. Only now that he was furiously searching did he realise how little he owned. Besides from the countless tinkering projects littered about, the huge rooms in Amuro’s house were skeletal. They felt more like a showroom than an actual home. 

“I found some saline solution in the kitchen. Is there anything else you need?” He asked. Char shook his head. 

“This should be fine for now.” He said. He was gently swabbing Kamille’s forehead, removing the last of the blood trail. When he reached over to take the box from Amuro, he suddenly doubled over with a groan. He gritted his teeth.

“Use it on his cuts.” Char instructed, moving aside to give Amuro room. Amuro nodded, glancing at Char worriedly.

“What happened?” 

“I’m fine. It’s nothing -” Char winced. “I’ll take care of it.” He began to take off his normal suit. 

“The Hyaku Shiki didn’t make it out then, I suppose.”

“It served its purpose.”

“Did Haman -”

“I don’t want to talk about that right now.” Char’s voice became icy. Amuro’s eyes widened.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn't have said that.” 

“It’s… It’s alright.” Char said with a sigh. His normal suit off, Amuro could see that Char’s shirt had been ripped open on the side, revealing a long cut. The wound glistened with fresh blood. “It’s not deep. A little time and I’ll be fine.” 

Amuro nodded uneasily. It didn’t look shallow to him. As he looked around, he laughed weakly. The room was so clean and calm, yet there they were, three injured soldiers patching their wounds like they were still on battle stations on the Argama.

“It feels so weird not being in a rush for once.” He murmured. Char nodded.

“I feel like Emma is about to tell us off for loafing around.” He commented. Their laughter felt nice, but only lasted a moment. They settled back into silence.

“I miss her.”

“I do too.”

“...”

“Come on. Let’s get that wound patched up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheee I love the concept of Kamille and his two dads!!! Hopefully a next chapter will be coming soon :3c
> 
> (I tried my best with the military jargon but Its probably wrong so please understand I'm trying my best ;w;)


	2. Waking up

By the time the flurry of arrival had calmed down, the sun was dipping beneath the horizon. Kamille was in bed, Char’s side was (amateurishly) bandaged, and he and Amuro could finally relax. They did so in Amuro’s spacious lounge. Amuro glanced out the window at the setting sun, nursing a scotch and soda in his hands. Deep orange sunlight spilled across the sparse room. Char’s silhouetted form cast a long shadow from where he leant against the side wall. Given the large slash in his own top, he wore one of Amuro’s red dress shirts, which he was annoyed to admit Char looked better in than he did. 

“I hope re-entry wasn’t too bumpy.”

“With me at the helm? No chance.” Char replied. Amuro winced. The thought of piloting a rickety shuttle with a gashed chest wasn’t a pretty one.

“The hardest part was avoiding Feddies on the way in. Bright would have had a lot of explaining to do.”

“For all his seriousness, he’s not one to follow rules, is he?”

“Not rules made by fools perfectly content to be weighed down by gravity.” Char replied. Amuro felt a prick of annoyance.

“I thought you’d have a little more hope for humanity after all this.”

“Humans don’t change. They keep acting selfishly until they’re forced to face the consequences.”

“What, like your selfish behaviour hasn’t put people in danger before?” Amuro spat back. Char’s lip rose into a sneer.

“No Earthnoid like you could understand.” He said. He seemed to be preparing more of his polemic, but his scowl softened. “This is a pointless argument.”

Amuro nodded. He brought his glass to his lips and tipped his head back. The alcohol had a kick, but slowly became a comforting warmth. “I’m sorry for calling you selfish. Even though it’s true.”

“I’m sorry for calling you an Earthnoid. Even though it’s true.” 

The two stood in silence for a while. The sun fell beneath the mountainous horizon. 

“How long can we stay here?” Char asked.

“Not long. The Earth Federation’ll get their act together sooner than later. I’d say two days tops. I don’t know where we’ll go after that.” Amuro replied.

“North-east?” Char suggested. “North Dakota has a lot of AEUG supporters, last I heard. Canada’s an option, but the Earth Federation has a lot of control there. Plus my french isn’t that great.”

_“Ils ne parlent pas le français dans l’espace?”_

“Uh… _Oui._ ” Char said with a chuckle. “I think I’d prefer North Dakota. We could rent a car or something. I’ve never been on a roadtrip before - it sounds fun.” 

“It’s sad, isn’t it; we’ve both travelled millions of miles, but never just because we could.” Amuro murmured. The first stars were lighting up the cobalt sky. As he looked at them, he could remember the view from side 7. The huge glass panels on the colony were the perfect place to stargaze, and he’d spent countless evenings staring into the darkness of space making shapes out of the brightest stars. 

“Well, we have the chance now.” Char’s voice was quiet. “We should make the most of it.”

Char walked over to the coffee table and placed down his empty glass. “Do you have a guest room? It’s been a long day.” 

Amuro put his own glass down. “Yes, there’s one down the hall.” He gestured for Char to follow him. 

The guest room was comfortably large, even with a gigantic four-poster bed taking up far too much space. The ornate oak and heavy green blanket gave it the feel of an antique, although it was certainly a replica. The room’s window looked out to the circular driveway and the rolling fields beyond it.

“If it gets cold tonight, just ask and I can grab some more blankets. I’ll be…” Amuro trailed off. Where would he be? “I’ll be on the couch if you need me, I suppose.”

Char snorted. “Nonsense. This bed is huge, and I’m not having you freezing out there in the lounge.”

“Really, no, it’s fine!” Amuro flustered. Char raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not going to kill you in your sleep or anything, you know. I’d rather thought we were past that.” He said. Amuro smiled weakly.

“Alright then. But if I wake up dead, I’m going to be seriously annoyed.”

* * *

Amuro didn’t regret agreeing with Char. Like he thought, the cool day had quickly become a freezing night. After hurriedly putting a few more blankets on Kamille, Amuro had scuttled back to the guest room. As it turned out, Char made an excellent hot water bottle. Amuro sighed in relief as he slipped into the warm bed.

“It’s freezing on Earth! I don’t know how anybody can stand it.” Char commented. His sunglasses were on the nightstand beside him, and Amuro could see the small scar on his forehead.

“With lots of blankets.” He replied. “Mind if I turn off the light?”

Char nodded, so he flicked off the light switch. They were immediately smothered in darkness. The scotch and soda was working as an effective nightcap and Amuro’s eyes were already fighting to stay open. 

“Kamille will wake up soon, right?” He murmured. He heard rustling as Char shifted slightly.

“I hope so.” He replied. Amuro meant to answer, but he couldn’t work up the will to stay awake any longer. The warmth of the bed was simply too inviting…

* * *

He dreamt of battle. He was in the Gundam’s cockpit, surrounded by monitors and buttons. The battle was raging. His beating heart was the loudest noise, slamming like a drum. He drew in ragged breaths. A circuit somewhere was fried - the smoke curled around him. It made him cough.

_“Fall back! The Minovsky *bzzt* -cles are too dense, we *bzzt* follow your location-”_

Was that Sayla’s voice? He couldn’t tell. He looked at the monitors. He couldn’t make sense of the dark shadows on them. Everything seemed to be getting darker. He could feel the cockpit falling away…

Amuro woke slowly. The dream had rattled him, but it wasn’t unusual. His eyes still closed, he breathed deeply. Eventually his pounding heart slowed. It helped that whatever was under his arm was a warm, comforting presence. Piece by piece, the events of the day before came back to him. Bright, Kamille, Char - Char!

Amuro’s eyes snapped open. To his horror, he found he had limpeted onto Char at some point. Careful not to wake him, Amuro slowly extricated himself from the bed. Part of him missed the comfort of the blankets, but the more rational part of him insisted on breakfast. First, however, he should check on Kamille.

Kamille was still asleep. He looked incredibly calm, as though any moment he would open his eyes and tell Amuro everything was fine. He didn’t. Instead, after a few moments of lingering, Amuro bit his lip.

“Wake up soon.”

There wasn’t much food in the kitchen. He had a bad habit of not eating for days at a time, far too absorbed in whatever technology he was experimenting with to eat. At least he ate healthy. Eventually, enough eggs and bread were unearthed to make a half decent breakfast. As he was cracking the eggs onto the pan, Char walked into the kitchen. His hair was a little flatter on one side, and he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses for once. He wordlessly padded over to the kettle.

“There’s coffee on the bench.” Amuro advised, and Char mumbled something unintelligible. Hiss. The eggs crackled, the smell making Amuro’s stomach rumble.

The eggs on toast were delicious. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a proper meal - he’d missed the satisfying feeling of fullness. After a (very large) cup of coffee, Char seemed much more talkative.

“Kamille is still asleep. If he keeps this up, the Titans and Neo Zeon will be the least of our worries.” He said. 

“Bright was pretty light on the details - what happened to him?” Amuro asked. Char frowned.

“He fought Scirocco. I couldn’t help him at all. The Quebelay was too powerful, and the Hyaku Shiki ended up as a pile of rubble - but by some miracle my normal suit wasn’t punctured badly, and I made it out of the wreckage. Their fight… Everybody felt it. The zeta was sending out some kind of newtype energy. I’ve never felt anything like it. The power of it ripped the Zeta apart, and killed Scirocco. It’s a miracle Fa was able to rescue Kamille, but he was badly injured when he got aboard the Argama.” He sighed. “It’s my fault. I put so much pressure on him to be a soldier, but he’s only a child! He was forced to wield such incredible power, and it’s damaged him so much…”

“It’s not your fault.” Amuro replied firmly. “As soldiers, we can only try our best. At least Kamille’s still alive.”

Char clenched his fist. “If he had died… I don’t think I would have ever forgiven myself.” 

“Me neither.” Amuro muttered. A sullen silence fell over them. Char tipped his head back and swigged down the rest of his coffee. 

“Right. Well, I suppose sitting around isn’t going to help Kamille much either. I’m going to start packing, if you don’t mind.” 

“Go ahead. I’m pretty sure there’s a duffel bag full of cords in the garage, but you can dump them anywhere.” Amuro said. 

Char chuckled. “For being such an acclaimed pilot, you’re not very organised.”

Amuro felt heat rising to his cheeks. He laughed sheepishly. “I guess not.”

* * *

While Char pillaged the building, Amuro stationed himself next to Kamille. The heavy spectre of guilt still loomed over him, sending a barrage of thoughts through his mind. He should have gone to space with Kamille. He could have prevented this. Thought after thought rushed through his mind, making focusing on anything impossible. All the while, Kamille lay silently.

“I hope you know how proud we are of you, Kamille.” Amuro gently swept a stray lock of hair off Kamille’s face. His marine blue hair curled up the ends, framing his sleeping face. 

“You’re the same age as I was, back in the One Year War. Even then, Zeon were only starting to realise the potential of Newtypes. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you…” He murmured. “If only the rest of humanity would let Newtypes lead the universe forward peacefully.”

“Newtype…?” 

Amuro jumped. Kamille’s eyes slowly opened, his deep blue eyes staring at - or through - Amuro. Even though Amuro knew he should feel ecstatic, there was something disconcerting about the energy pulsing off Kamille.

“K-Kamille! Thank god you’re awake.” He said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Kamille stared blankly at him.

“Who are you?” He asked quietly. The sense of foreboding in Amuro’s gut grew stronger.

“It’s me, Amuro. It’s alright, you’re safe now.” He said with a smile. Kamille slowly sat up, looking around the room with the same hollow stare. Amuro bit his lip. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Kamille stared at him. The usual fire was missing from his eyes. Instead, they seemed pallid, as though nothing that was happening was truly sinking in.

“It’s - it’s alright. Just stay there, and I’ll go get Lieutenant Quattro. I’m sure you’ll remember him.” Amuro said. He gave Kamille’s shoulder a nervous pat, and stood up. Was it simply amnesia? He’d never seen anything like it. 

With a final glance back at Kamille - who was still looking around the small room in silence - Amuro hurried out of the room. Before he could take a single step down the corridor, however, he nearly slammed into Char. Amuro yelped, stumbling back a step.

“Char! Perfect timing. Kamille just woke up, and -” He began, but Char interrupted. 

“Amuro.” He hissed. “There’s a feddie car in the driveway.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! As a bonus, here's some art I drew of sleepy Char -  
> https://www.deviantart.com/rainbow-mirage/art/Tired-Quattro-751204223
> 
> Ils ne parlent pas le français dans l’espace? = They don't speak french in space?


	3. Chase

The room felt like it was folding in on itself. In an instant, their plans had been shattered. Amuro stared blankly at Char for a moment. When the levity of their situation had sufficiently sunk in, his face twisted into a grimace.

“We need to get you and Kamille out of here.” He said. “I can buy you some time.”

Char shook his head. “There’s at least five of them out there. They aren’t here just to have a look around; I think they know Bright came here yesterday.”

“Shit.” Amuro muttered. No chance of him playing innocent, then. His mind raced, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut. “Alright, get Kamille down into the garage. I’ll grab what I can.”

Char glanced inside the room and nodded. “Hurry. The bag is in the lounge.”

There was no time to waste. Amuro ran down the hallway, thoughts racing through his mind like runaway trains. How had the Federation reacted so quickly? Had Bright been detained on his way back to space? Or had it simply been chance? He hoped it was the latter. Thank god he’d had a physical lock installed; at least it would buy them some time.

He ran into the bathroom, slamming into the doorframe in the process. Under the sink, he pulled out a small box. Inside, a small old-fashioned pistol lay in velvet. It was a souvenir from the Cheyenne Mobile Suit Academy – he never thought he’d have to use it. He grabbed it and jammed it into his jacket’s inner pocket. As he turned to leave, he heard a knock on the front door. 

_Crash!_

What the hell was that? Amuro ran back down the hallway. From the top of the stairs he could see the whole lounge. A vase lay shattered on the ground. Char had grabbed Kamille’s sleeve, who looked frightened out of his mind. 

“Get off me! He’s out there, he’s – Emma’s in there, I can still reach her!” He tried to pull his arm away, but Char held on tight.

“We have to go, Kamille! You’re not fighting anymore.” Char barked. Amuro hurried down the stairs. He could hear shouts from the front door. He scooped up the duffel bag, full to the brim with god knows what, and slung it over his shoulder.

Something slammed into the front door. Kamille froze. Without hesitation Char grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the back door. 

“I hope we’ve got a ride out of here.” Char yelled. 

The three ran out the back door just as the front door flew off its hinges. Amuro wrenched the door shut behind him, stumbling to catch up with Char. Kamille was like a ragdoll being pulled behind Char, his attempts to resist clearly weaker than before. 

The garage wasn’t far from the house but getting there seemed to take an eternity. The garage door began sliding up automatically as soon as Amuro slammed the side door open. The large rectangular room was full of junk, including a disassembled helicopter and a wall entirely dedicated to salvaged motherboards. The only thing he was interested in, however, was the small white car parked neatly in the middle of the ocean of mess. 

While Char shepherded Kamille into the back seat, Amuro threw the bag into the boot and scrambled into the driver’s seat. He suddenly felt a spike of anxiety. He didn’t have his keys. Then, looking down, he sighed. In a fit of forgetfulness, he’d left them in the ignition. 

With Kamille safely in the back seat – eyes closed but still mumbling things under his breath – Char got into the passenger seat and Amuro started the engine. 

“Take this.” He said, passing the gun to Char. He took the gun and inspected it.

“This thing looks like it was made before the One Year War.”

“It was.”

“Does it still work?”

“I hope we won’t have to find out.” Amuro replied. He slammed on the acceleration. With an unholy screech the car lurched into motion. There was no way the piece of junk would make it across his hilly lawn, so they’d have to take their chances with the driveway. Amuro swung the wheel sideways, sending the car careening around the side of the house. Out the window he could see figures storming through the lounge room.

Once they cleared the house’s side he was finally able to see what they were up against. A large military truck was surrounded by a gaggle of Federation soldiers, all wielding formidable guns. Was he really considered that dangerous? The little car sent up plumes of gravel at them as they passed. Don’t look back. Don’t look back.  
He glanced in the rear-view mirror. They were pointing guns at them.

“Duck!”

_Bang!_

The road exploded into dust ahead of him. Amuro swerved on instinct. Even though they were certainly aiming for the wheels, a poor shot could easily be fatal. For once, he was grateful for the ugly fountain in the middle of the driveway’s roundabout – it gave them a moment of cover. He ground the throttle down as hard as he could. To his horror, Char wound the window down.

“What the hell are you doing?!” He yelled. Char didn’t respond. Instead, he swung his upper body out the window, pointing the gun behind them. “Get back in the car!”

_Bang! Crack!_

One shot pinged off the truck. The other hit the fountain, making a dolphin nose break off. 

“Gun still works.” Char announced. Amuro grit his teeth.

Once they were off the driveway and onto the road, Amuro was able to calm down a little. He now regretted living in the middle of nowhere; in both directions the road wound endlessly through pine and aspen forest, now a patchwork of orange and green as autumn crept on. To the left, however, he knew there was a scenic detour route about a kilometre away. As they turned left, he risked a glance behind them. The truck was pulling out of the driveway at a worrying pace.

“Any idea where we’re going?” Char asked. 

“We can lose them if we head into the forest.” He replied. “Only downside is, we’ll probably also get lost ourselves.”

“Better than being dead, I suppose.” Char murmured. 

They had a few seconds of blissful peace. Then the truck swung onto the road. Once again, Char swung himself out the window. 

_Bang!_

In the side mirror, Amuro saw a bullet fly through the truck’s windshield. He also saw a soldier lean out of the truck’s window.

_Crack!_

The side mirror came flying off and Amuro’s heartrate spiked. He hit a corner way too fast, the wheels squealing as he fought for control. The white aspen trunks flew past in a blur. They sped around another corner and Amuro could see the secluded detour road.

“Get in the car!” He yelled at Char again, and this time he listened. The same second Char was safely back inside, Amuro wrenched the car to the right. For a horrifying second the car felt like it was on ice. They were sliding across the ground, the trees on either side ready to act as deadly buffers. 

The wheels dug in. At the last moment the car stopped its slide. He guided them back into the middle of the thin road, and released the breath he’d been holding. Behind them the truck sped past the road.

Char sighed, leaning back into his seat. “Thank God.”

* * *

After the horrifying thrill of escaping the truck, the beautiful scenery was a nice change of pace. The forest slowly thinned out, then fell away into rolling golden fields. In the distance soft blue mountains crept towards the sky. Every so often they would pass a barn or field of animals. At one point there was the upper half of a Gouf lying on a field, its once shiny blue exterior now dull and torn apart. Their only company was the occasional hawk and the quiet murmur of the radio. To pass the time, Char had decided to inspect the box Bright had given them.

“Bright had to pull a lot of strings to get these.” Char commented. He unceremoniously wiggled the top off. Inside lay three dark blue passports. Underneath them was a red credits card and a small note. Char picked it up. Amuro glanced over to him.

“What is it?” He asked.

“A list of contacts. He’s got Hayato Kobayashi, Mirai Yashima…” Char trailed off. “Sayla Mass.” 

Amuro blinked. He supposed Char never had a chance to learn what had become of his sister after the One Year War.

“I think she’s got a mansion in California.” He said. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel Char’s eyes boring into him. 

“I suppose you got to know her well.” He said. Amuro glanced out the side window uncomfortably.

“Yeah, I did. She was invaluable on White Base.” He said. No need to mention his teenage crush on her. That was completely irrelevant. After a moment Char looked away, seemingly satisfied with this response, and went back to rifling through the box.

“The passports are Earth class. That will help us get through checkpoints. As for our names…” Char opened the first one.

“Looks like I’m Edward Glenn. I think Edward fits me quite nicely.” He said with a smile. “As for you… You’re Sydney Glenn.” 

Amuro raised an eyebrow. “Are we supposed to be brothers? I don’t know if Bright checked recently, but we don’t exactly look alike.” 

Char shrugged. “As for Kamille… He’s Avery Glenn.”

Ah.

“So, we’re a family, then.” Amuro said. “Even though Kamille’s what, six years younger than me?” 

“He looks younger, we’ll be fine.” Char replied. Amuro drove in silence for a minute. Of all things, he hadn’t expected to have to say he was Char’s husband. He found himself blushing at the concept. He wondered if Bright knew about this. He was so busy wondering, in fact, that he didn’t notice the car start to lose speed. It was only when the engine let out a worrying groan that he realised they were grinding to a stop.

“Shit.” The car rolled to a gentle stop. Amuro swore again. “Of course it would break down in the middle of nowhere.”

Char glanced at Amuro. “Don’t worry. If we can fix mobile suits, I’m sure we can fix a car engine.”

* * *

They could not fix the car engine. Despite twenty minutes of tweaking, tightening and angry banging, the car refused to start. Eventually Amuro threw his hands in the air. 

“I give up. This thing is a monster!” He said with a scowl. “We’re going to have to walk.” 

Char glanced upward. “It’s getting dark. We can sleep in the car and think about this tomorrow.” 

Amuro sighed. “Fine, whatever.” He leant against the car. His pride as a mechanic was hurt, truth be told. Some off-brand car had defeated him even when the Gundam itself could not. As he let his emotions cool off, he idly scanned the horizon. In the distance he could see another mobile suit. This one was halfway through a house, both clear victims of a very bad landing. A large chunk of the house still seemed intact, however.

“Does that look like a Nemo to you?” Amuro asked, pointing at the suit. Char nodded. 

“I think we should try our luck sleeping in that house.” Amuro suggested. “I’d rather not wake up tomorrow with a back ache.” 

“Me neither. I want check out the Nemo, as well.” Char replied. They looked at each other for a moment.

“So, who’s going to wake Kamille up?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive never really written a car chase scene before, so i hope it turned out alright! i also finished this chapter at like 11 so please excuse any jumps in logic or anything :P  
> (PS - 'credits card' isn't a misspelling - I just figured I'd make up a money system rather than trawl wikis for a canon currency, so credits it was!)  
> (PPS - I have no idea / can't be bothered finding out how cars work in UC, so we're just gonna pretend they're like normal cars except with shinier paint jobs and futuristic upholstery)


	4. Peaches

The night was chilly. The house they had chosen to sleep in was a weather-beaten old farm house that sat in a square of decaying wire fence. While surely once homey, the building was now decrepit and quickly succumbing to nature. The creaking floorboards sagged under the weight of the house. As Amuro tried to keep a small flame alight in the fireplace, he glanced at the hulking mobile suit only a few metres behind him.

The Nemo lay on its back. Its moss green paint bore countless scratches, as well as a tear in along its leg where a beam rifle seemed to have hit a glancing shot. The chest lay where the kitchen might have been. Along the wall, the wooden walls were cut short into jagged edges. He felt unnerved to be so close to the silent mobile suit – somehow it felt like sitting near a corpse.

Kamille sat leant against the Nemo. With a blanket bunched around him like a chrysalis, he resembled an upset caterpillar. He glared at Amuro under a furrowed brow. He hadn’t said anything since he’d woken up; all he’d done was stare at Amuro with an expression of pallid distaste on his face.

“I heard what happened up there.” Amuro said quietly. Kamille looked away. Char had carried him into the house, leaving Amuro to lug in everything else. He’d woken up a little while after and seemed to be much more cognizant of his surroundings, but he had barely spoken.

“Bright was so proud of you, you know. We’re all proud of what you did.”

“Proud…” Kamille muttered. So, he could still speak. Amuro nodded vigorously.

“You saved lots of lives, Kamille. Do you remember?” 

Kamille didn’t respond. However, Amuro could feel intense pressure emanating like waves from him. Although he couldn’t seem to express it physically, Kamille was hurting. It was a special kind of agony that crept into Amuro’s head, one that he knew quite well. Watching countless deaths… Trapped inside countless metal containers, vulnerable as a wobbling faun to the slightest wound… Knowing your suffering could be eased by sleep, only if you didn’t then wake up…

The pressure grew. Amuro’s head felt like it might explode.

“I’m so sorry, Kamille. God, I should have been there to protect you.” He murmured. The pressure instantly receded. Looking up in confusion, Amuro saw Kamille’s eyes piercing into him.

“But you weren’t.” He spat. Amuro recoiled. He knew it was true. He was too much of a coward to go into space with Kamille. Too much of a coward to help him, protect him, save him. 

“I don’t think my life will be long enough for me to repay you for that. Hell, I probably couldn’t with all the time in the universe. But I don’t know how to make things right other than helping you right now. Will you let me do that?”

Kamille looked furious. His lip curled into a scowl, his blanket slipped down as he tried to stand. Then his lip trembled. He only managed to hobble one step before crashing back down on the wood.  
“H-Hey!” Amuro dove to help him back up. As he stooped down, he saw Kamille’s eyes fill with tears.

“It’s not fair. I want to see them again. Katz, Emma, Reccoa… Mother…” He muttered. Amuro sat beside him. After a moment of silence, Kamille burst into tears. Fat droplets rolled down his face, glistening in the fire’s light. Amuro gently pulled him close. God, how much he could see himself in Kamille. It wasn’t fair, not at all. A child, piloting a death machine? Forced to watch his family die? Usually that sort of horror story was reserved for the bad guys. But here they were.

From the corner of his eye, Amuro saw movement. Glancing to the side, he saw Char’s shadowed form, partially obscured by a doorway. He was watching them silently, his sunglasses reflecting the flames. When he saw Amuro watching him, he receded back into darkness. Amuro felt a surge of bitterness. Char had been there. Why the hell wasn’t he here right now?

“It’s not fair.” Kamille repeated, face buried in Amuro’s jacket. 

“It isn’t.” Amuro agreed quietly. 

The two sat there for a long time. Kamille’s tears seemed endless. It was distressing to see his aggressive exterior finally fall away, but Amuro could do nothing but hold him close and silently wish none of it had ever happened. Eventually he subsided into loud sniffles – then silence – then soft snores as exhaustion overcame him. Amuro gently laid him on the ground, shimmying off his jacket for Kamille to use as a pillow. 

After Amuro was sure Kamille was sleeping soundly, he slipped out of the room. It was immediately much colder away from the fire, making him shiver. 

He found Char on the other side of the Nemo. On this side of the mobile suit’s chest a deep groove had been carved into the dirt, creating a ridge of earth that Char was sitting on. For endless miles in front of them the landscape seemed to roll endlessly, painted in muted blues from the bright moon above them. For once, Char wasn’t wearing his glasses.

“You could have helped calm him down.” Amuro said. Char looked up at him.

“You seemed to do a good enough job.”

Amuro glared at him. “He’s closer to you! You were – you were up there with him. It’s the least you can do to talk to him now.” 

Char shook his head. “I’m not good at helping people. I shouldn’t have tried playing surrogate father to him. Maybe I shouldn’t have even come with him to Earth. People near me inevitably get hurt because of it.”

“Stop thinking about yourself!” Amuro snapped. “Kamille didn’t die. He survived, and it’s our job to protect him. He’s just a fucking kid!”

“If you’re so angry about it, take care of him yourself.” Char retorted. Amuro’s lip curled in disgust. 

“You really aren’t Quattro anymore. What happened to the man at Dakar?”

“He realised that humanity can’t change. He learned that no matter how hard you try, the people around you are going to die bloody, painful deaths, while all you can do is watch.” Char replied coldly. 

“So?”

Char blinked. “What?”

“So?” Amuro repeated. “So what if humanity can’t change? So what if we’re all going to die? We should still do what we can for the people we love. It’s… It’s the only thing we can do.”

Char looked away. 

“So idealistic…” 

He stood up and started to walk away. Was he really going to just leave?

“Where are you going?” Amuro challenged. Char glanced at him.

“To check on Kamille.”

* * *

Amuro couldn’t sleep. He should have been able to rest easy. After their conversation, Char had kept his word. Only a few minutes later Amuro had checked on them to find both asleep, Char leant against the Nemo near Kamille. Be it the bright moon or the thoughts in his head, however, Amuro felt wide awake. That was how he found himself in the Nemo’s cockpit, mindlessly tinkering with the circuitry. 

“I know you’re not listening, Bright, but we’re taking good care of Kamille.” He murmured. The Nemo was in surprisingly good shape. Nothing had been stolen; the only damage was to the Vernier control, and the superficial leg damage.

“I don’t know why you thought me and Char would get along, though.” The leg was only a little stiff, anyway.

“He’s so stubborn! I can’t see how you thought he was a good fit for the AEUG.” He could see how, of course. Even when he was frustrated at him, Amuro had to admit Char was at least good for something. He’d certainly done his part back in Dakar. His face was certainly handsome - devilishly charismatic but at the same time slightly reserved. And the sharp blue under those golden curls…  
It took him a few moments to realise he’d stopped moving. He hurriedly got back to work, but the exhausting day was starting to catch up to him. Even lifting himself out of the cockpit was far too much work. He gazed up at the sky with tired eyes. Somewhere up there was Bright, Fa, Astonaige, Saegusa, Torres…

His eyes closed on the knowledge that they were out there, despite being so far away.

* * *

Horridly bright light was attacking Amuro. He blinked tiredly, trying to work out the source of the unpleasant sensation. When his brain finally kicked into gear, he found himself in the seat of the Nemo, dawn sunlight reflecting off the metal interior. He blearily stumbled out of the cockpit. The dew was just beginning to melt and the house, so unwelcoming in the dark moonlight, now felt a little friendlier. After a moment letting his eyes acclimatise, Amuro scrabbled down the side of the Nemo. He plopped down into the lounge. 

“Glad you could join us.” Char said. He and Kamille were on the floor, encircled by objects from the now-empty duffel bag. A few cans of food had been stacked into a pyramid. Amuro squinted at them.

“What are you eating?”

“Canned peaches and brie.”

“That’s disgusting.” Amuro replied. Char shrugged. He carefully balanced a peach slice onto a cheese wedge and popped it into his mouth.

“It’s better than being hungry.” He replied through the mouthful of food. Amuro sighed and sat down opposite him. Kamille was silently working his way through the peach tin, eating at a breakneck pace. 

“I suppose.” Amuro picked up the remaining cheese and began to eat. Now that he thought about it, he was ravenous.

“So,” Char food-mumbled, “I have an idea.”

“About what?”

“About how to get out of here and end up somewhere warm and with more food than just cheese and peaches.”

Amuro raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“If Bright’s information is correct, the Audhumla is set to pass through Wyoming in two days en route to Europe. That Nemo still has working comms. We talk to Hayato, get them to pick us up from here, and we can hop off whenever it suits us.”

Amuro got to his feet. “What are we waiting for, then? Let’s talk to him.”

Char blitzed his way through a peach slice, then stood up. “Alright. Lead the way.” 

The Nemo’s metal was cold underfoot. Amuro clambered back into the cockpit and settled himself into the mauve seat. Click. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the Nemo blinked into life. The camera panels lit up and the dashboard came alive with dancing colours. Char poked his head into the cockpit. 

“Here’s the channel, and the access code.” He handed Amuro the badly crumpled list of contacts. Amuro punched in the numbers, then held his breath. There was no guarantee of success. The Audhumla might have been destroyed – they might refuse their communication request – 

_“Who is this?”_

Amuro jumped in surprise. The camera panels suddenly lit up into one giant image. Despite being painfully distorted and plagued with static, it was undeniably Hayato.Amuro frantically turned on the internal camera.

“Hayato, it’s Amuro!”

“And Quattro.” Char leant further into the cockpit, giving Hayato a small wave. Hayato looked surprised, but it quickly transformed into relief.

_“My god, you’re alright.”_

“I barely believe it myself.” Char admitted. “Listen, Hayato, we’re transmitting over a long distance, so our connection can’t last long. Bright told us the Audhumla is passing over Wyoming soon.”

_“It is in two days. We’re transporting GM mark threes. Why?”_

“We’re in Wyoming right now with Kamille.” Amuro interjected.

 _“Kamille’s with you?”_ Hayato looked concerned. _“Is he alright?”_

Amuro winced. “It’s a bit complicated. But we need a ride east. Would you be able to pick us up if I sent you our coordinates?”

Hayato scratched his chin. _“We can make a detour, but the Audhumla can’t land without a runway strip.”_

“We’ll have to come to you, then.” Char replied. “Don’t worry about that, Hayato. Just come by our coordinates. Thank you for helping us out.” 

Hayato smiled. _“Anything for you two. I’ll see you in a few days.” _He saluted. Despite his smile, he looked tired. Amuro saluted back. The screens blinked back to the camera visuals. After swiftly sending their coordinates to Hayato, Amuro looked up at Char.__

__“What did you mean, ‘come to you’?” He asked. He couldn’t see his eyes, but Amuro felt sure that Char winked._ _

__“This Nemo is good as more than just a radio. With a bit of love, it’ll easily get us at Garuda-class altitude.”_ _

__Amuro considered it for a moment. He suspected ‘a bit of love’ was an understatement._ _

__“We can try.” He relented. “But if you want this thing working in two days, get out of the cockpit and leave me in peace with this thing.”_ _

__Char saluted him. “Alright, Chief Mechanic Officer. I’ll see you at lunch time.”_ _

__“What’s on the menu?”_ _

__“Peaches.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ZZ spoilers if u care) Presumably at this point in time Saegusa has already been sent to his eternal rest by Yazan Gable, but hey, Amuro doesn't need to know that ;w;
> 
> Also aaaaAAAAAA I tried really hard to capture the feelings of char and amuro during their argument as best I could ;OuO it was really hard because they're both such complex characters, but hopefully I've presented their feelings in an interpretation that's close to canon. also i'm posting this past midnight so please excuse any errors - I was just so excited to update again <3


	5. Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry that this chapter is a little short - I try to keep chapters at 2000 words minimum, but I've been sick recently so I'm cutting myself some slack :P

The days rolled by without issue. Each morning the pink sunlight would spill onto the fields and over the house, gently reminding Amuro that he hadn’t slept. But every fitful nap felt like a risk, precious time wasted that could be spent fixing the Nemo. He hardly ever left the mobile suit’s cockpit. His circadian rhythm eventually became just as wonky as Char and Kamille’s; months in space had thoroughly distorted their sense of day and night. They would end up having lunch as the sun rose or waking from a nap to find the moon still high above them. Today however, as the sun crept over the horizon, everybody was awake. 

“Good morning.” Char said. He balanced on the lip of the cockpit, waving at Amuro. Amuro waved back. He closed the circuitry panel he was working on then clambered up to Char.

“Morning. I hope that’s something to eat.” He gestured to what Char was holding. Char threw it to him. What once might have been a bagel had been hacked at with a knife and plastered with butter. Amuro raised his eyebrows.

“Did this get in a fight?” He asked. Char laughed.

“Kamille wanted to help with breakfast, but he’s not got his fine motor skills back yet.” He said. As Amuro began to eat, Char glanced around him into the cockpit.

“Still not working?”

Amuro swallowed and shook his head. “The leg works fine now, but the Vernier system got seriously overheated when it crashed. Some of the cables are unusable.” He leapt back down into the cockpit. A swift kick to the panel made it pop open again, revealing a mess of wires. Char inspected it.

“Would the ones in the car work?” He suggested. Amuro scratched his chin. 

“Hmm… Maybe. I’ll try it.” He said. Char frowned.

“If this Nemo doesn’t fly soon, we’ll be in big trouble.” 

Amuro grabbed the cockpit doors and pulled himself out. “I’d better get those cables then.”

As he got out of the cockpit, he brushed shoulders with Char. He couldn’t help but feel a quiet unease. There was a maelstrom of thought behind those glasses, he was sure of it. He wished he could understand it – understand anything about him – but his storm of feelings was fiercely guarded.

He passed Char and hopped down the Nemo’s side. He jumped to the ground, sinking a little into the soil. The smell of wet grass was all around him. As he walked to the car, he saw Kamille on the house’s front porch. He was staring out into the distance, a look of tired frustration on his face. Char walked out of the house’s door and sat down beside him.

The car sat in the middle of the road. It creaked unhappily as Amuro pulled open the driver’s door. Inside the grey upholstery was chilly to the touch. Before, he got to work pulling apart the dashboard, he glanced around the vehicle. If he was lucky there might be a can of beans they’d missed; He was getting sick of peaches and stale bread.

Something on the floor caught his eye. Thin and square, it was hidden halfway under the passenger seat. He reached down to pick it up. He now saw it was a photograph in a protective plastic slip. Two blonde children smiled at the camera, with a tree behind them. He felt sure he’d seen them before, especially the girl. Was it… Sayla? Then the boy must be Char. Even back then, he had an air of unsettling severity.

Amuro tucked the photograph into his jacket. He would give it back to Char when he got back.

* * *

When Amuro returned, he found Char and Kamille still on the porch. Now, however, the porch was covered with uprooted grass and weeds.

“Do you have to make such a mess?” He complained. Kamille gave him a scathing side eye.

“Quattro’s teaching me a game.” He replied. Amuro looked quizzically back at him. In response, Kamille picked up two of the weeds that had large cylindrical heads. He swiftly wrapped one around the other and wrenched it back. The head flew off like a bullet, landing a few metres away.

“You have to shoot it as far as you can.” He said. “It’s fun.”

Amuro looked at Char. “Where did you learn that?”

“From a friend.”

Amuro raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Instead he continued into the house, gesturing for Char to follow him. Char rose to his feet and walked alongside him. 

“Are those enough?” He asked, a tinge of concern in his voice. Amuro nodded.

“Yeah, the cables are fine. That’s – well, it’s not really what I wanted to say.” They were by the Nemo now. He dumped the cables on the ground. He fished the photograph out of his pocket and handed it to him. Char glanced at it. 

“Where did you find this?”

“Under your seat in the car.” He replied. Char’s shoulders visibly relaxed. He had clearly thought Amuro was about to tell him something awful.

“Thank you. I thought I’d lost it forever.”

“You’re welcome...” Amuro was quiet for a moment. “I suppose you miss her.”

He could feel Char’s piercing gaze immediately flicker up to him. “I do. But I suppose so do you.” 

The tone in his voice made Amuro splutter. “It’s not – I – Really- “

Char looked bemused. “I don’t mind, you know. She’s perfectly able to make her own decisions in life, romantically or otherwise.”

Amuro felt heat rise to his cheeks. He shook his head indignantly. “It was never serious. Really. Your sister is a wonderful person, but I don’t think we could ever make each other happy like that. Besides – “

A rash compulsion hit him. “– I don’t really swing that way.”

He instantly wanted to die. The blush that had been warming his cheeks instantly went thermonuclear. What the _fuck_ , brain!?

Char smirked slightly. “I suppose we’re more similar than I thought.” He replied. Amuro stared at him. Half of his mind was telling him to throw himself onto the nearest sharp object. No, that was all of his mind. Char gave him a small salute and turned away.

“Once you get that fixed, come join me and Kamille. I’m going to teach him how to make a grass whistle next.” He said. Amuro forced himself back into composure.

“I will.” He replied. 

As soon as Char was out of sight, Amuro’s brain melted. He scrambled into the cockpit. He was such an idiot! Some awful, primal, bestial urge had consumed any rational thought and replaced it with dumb, stupid idiocy. The worst part was that he didn’t really regret it. There was something worryingly validating about their conversation. As if… In some impossible circumstance… Perhaps…  
Amuro shook his head. He didn’t have time for this. He had a Nemo to fix.

* * *

He didn’t know how much time passed. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. In the artificial light of the cockpit, time melted away, replaced with quiet liminality. He stared at the Mobile Suit’s circuitry endlessly. After so long – or not long at all – he finally leant back. Theoretically the Vernier system should work now. He pulled himself onto the seat and clipped on the harness. One side of the black harness was stained a suspicious brown. 

It felt wrong to be piloting a Mobile Suit again. Back when the AEUG had plunged down to Earth and he’d forced himself back into the cockpit, he’d managed to force down the terror. His cold sweats and panic attacks had been silenced by the adrenaline of lives in danger. Now, however, the sense of emergency wasn’t palpable enough to kick him into high gear. He could already feel a nervous sweat on his brow. 

“Engines on.” He muttered. He wrenched a lever back. The Nemo let out a loud growl. Like a plane coming closer, the quiet engine whine got progressively louder. A few of the camera panels were glitching badly, but it would have to do. 

“Come on buddy, up we get.” He gritted his teeth. He gently pulled on the control sticks. The green suit groaned as it rolled forward. He winced at the sound of wood snapping – it seemed that the house’s lounge was about to be crushed by the Nemo’s chest. 

Finally, the Nemo pushed itself off the ground. The Verniers hissed loudly at the effort of propelling the heavy weight onto its feet. Eventually – in a movement that nearly made Amuro’s breakfast heave back up – the Nemo stood up.

As soon as his stomach settled, he sighed in relief.

He moved the Nemo’s head to look down at the house. He saw Char and Kamille waving at him from in front of the porch. They looked tiny from so far away. With a few button presses, the Nemo waved back. 

The two soon reached the base of the Nemo. He zoomed the camera on them. He was pleased to see Kamille walking again, albeit slowly. He lowered the Nemo into a kneel, reaching its palm down onto the ground.

“Climb aboard!” He called into the loudspeaker. 

Char helped Kamille onto the Mobile Suit’s hand. Suddenly, Amuro felt a sensation wash over him. A feeling of prescience was tickling his senses. He swung the main camera around in a wide arc.  
He heard it before he saw it. A low rumble, like a cat’s purr. Then, the cameras picked it up. The bulbous silhouette of the Audhumla, getting ever closer. And it was getting closer fast.

“The Audhumla’s coming.” He warned. “We need to hurry.”

If Char called something back, he couldn’t hear it. Now that they were on a time limit, it seemed like Kamille was taking forever. After an eternity he got onto the Nemo’s hand and grabbed onto the thumb. Char likewise climbed onto the palm and grabbed hold of a finger.

Amuro immediately pulled the Nemo onto both feet. Had the cockpit always felt this cramped? Through the gently flickering screens, he saw the Audhumla creep closer. It would pass them in about ten seconds.

Even though he wasn’t moving anymore, the queasy feeling returned. He found himself taking rapid breaths. The Audhumla was close. 

He didn’t even think about what he was doing. By instinct he slammed down on the pedals and pulled the control sticks back. After a moment the Nemo lifted off the ground, its thrusters scorching the earth underneath. The machine wobbled slightly, its balance only held together by Amuro’s desperate corrections. 

Soon the sound of the Audhumla’s engines became a roar. The distance between them seemed to stretch out forever.

Five metres off the ground… Fifteen metres… 

The sound was attacking him. Amuro pushed harder on the pedals.

The Nemo’s hand reached up. They were close enough to brush against the Audhumla’s hull. A fuel warning turned red. They were going to fall.

Something grabbed the Nemo’s hand. Looking up, Amuro saw a Rick Dias leaning out of the Audhumla’s cargo bay. As they were pulled into the Audhumla, and the Nemo’s Verniers sputtered out, Amuro sank into his seat. Despite his dual desires to vomit and cry, he couldn’t help but also feel relieved.

It hadn’t all been for nothing. Not yet, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheeeeeee these boys are so gay!! On a side note, I hc Amuro as gay and Char as bisexual, but with a bit of a leaning towards guys. What about you guys?
> 
> (mwehehe I finally saw Gundam: the origin so now I know Char for the rootin tootin cowboy he is - and I also hopefully have a better idea about his past and can maybe write him better :D)  
> (Also, does anybody else do that game where you ping off the heads of weeds, or is that just a weird New Zealand thing? That's like the best part of summer for me :P)


	6. Conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the full zeta and authorial experience, i'd highly recommend listening to this music from zeta while reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdDtIvumIQY

As soon as the panoramic screen went dark and the cockpit’s door hissed open, Amuro tumbled out. A pair of arms caught him, but the world didn’t stop turning. The mobile suit bay, for all its promises of luring him into future battles, was quietly banal. When his vision finally righted itself, Amuro looked up to see the grinning face of a dark-haired woman in an AEUG mechanic uniform.

“We’ve been expecting you, Lieutenant.” She said. Amuro wobbled to his feet. He could now see that they were on a scissor lift that was slowly descending from the Nemo’s cockpit. Below them, Hayato waved. 

“Thanks for the new Mobile Suit. We’ve been down to two Rick Dias and a captured Asshimar. Did you fix it yourself?” The woman kept talking, but it only seemed to float through Amuro’s consciousness like a fleeting memory. His attention had been caught by the cold feeling of silent agony creeping into his heart. Somehow, he knew it was coming from Hayato. Of course, Katz…

“… And from what we’ve heard through Wong Lee, the Argama has already received the next iteration of Gundams, the double Zeta.” The constant word stream caught Amuro’s attention.

“A new Gundam? But without Quattro or Kamille there’s nobody to pilot it.”

“Apparently they picked up some kids at Side One that know how to pilot.”

Amuro scowled. “I’d hoped we’d moved past depending on children to fight our wars.”

The woman didn’t reply. When the lift had fully descended, Amuro stepped off and smiled weakly at Hayato. His old friend had hardly changed in appearance – still serious and stocky, wearing his old leather jacket. The only new addition was the lonely sensation that Amuro could viscerally feel.

“Captain.” He shook Hayato’s hand.

“It’s good to have you back, Lieutenant.”

“Please – I’m not really part of any military anymore.” He replied.

“Alright then, Amuro. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting you three to make it here by Mobile Suit.” Hayato commented. He gestured for Amuro to follow him. The two walked through the mobile suit bay, the hulking robots seeming to lean in above them.

“We didn’t have any other choice.” Amuro replied. “Since Quattro and Kamille came down to Earth, we’ve effectively been on the run from everybody.”

“About Kamille – is he alright?”

“I don’t know. He’s been getting better, but whatever happened out there was terrible.” Amuro murmured. Hayato scratched his chin.

“I feel awful about the whole thing. He’s barely older than we were, back during the One Year War. What right do we have to put his life in danger?”

“None at all.” Amuro replied quietly. 

Hiss. A heavy door slid open. The mobile suit bay narrowed into endless corridors, all equipped with ziplines that currently sat silent. Eventually Hayato stopped at a nondescript door, which opened to a small, dark room. For a moment he stood, clearly grasping for the right words.

“I know that piloting mobile suits hasn’t been easy for you since…” Hayato trailed off. “…Anyway, giving you some privacy is the least I can do. Quattro and Kamille will be in the next doors over. In an hour we’ll be talking with Mr. Lee. You’re welcome to attend, if you’d like.” Hayato smiled slyly. “I’m sure Beltorchika would be happy to see you.”

Amuro cringed. “O-Oh? She’s still on board?”

“She’s been indispensable. And she’s been looking forward to your return.” He replied. Amuro smiled weakly. He’d rather forgotten about Beltorchika’s affection. He’d found it awkward back then, but it had been a light amongst his depressive fog. Now he suspected it would just be awkward.

Hayato stepped away from the room and Amuro stepped in. Contained light filtered through a small porthole, softly illuminating the simple bed.

Hiss. The door slid shut. Despite the constant hum of the Audhumla’s engine, the room felt still and inviting. Amuro plopped down onto the bed. He shrugged off his jacket and flanked around the room. The efficient furniture and muted colours were faintly reminiscent of his cabin on White Base. It felt nice to – if just for a moment – forget about all his duties. Kamille was safe, nobody seemed to be pursuing them… 

“Amuro?”

His eyes snapped open. He looked up, bleary-eyed, to see the smiling face of Beltorchika.

“Bel…?” He blinked and sat up from his hunched position. He must have fallen asleep, because the circle of light from the porthole had shifted to the right, spilling out onto the dark floor. A sore ache in his neck was more evidence to that fact. As his mind caught up to reality, he stood up and looked at Beltorchika. 

She hadn’t changed much in the months they’d been apart. Her blond hair was scooped back into a low ponytail, which plumed over her shoulder. The powder blue outfit she used to wear had been replaced with a tawny bomber jacket. Her soft green eyes seemed to implore Amuro to answer endless questions.

“It’s been a while.” She said softly. Her hands crept to his sides. Amuro nodded, gently scooping up her hands and instead holding them in front of him.

“It has. What have you been doing all this time?” He asked. Beltorchika rolled her eyes.

“What does it look like? I’ve been on the Audhumla helping out.”

“I thought you hated fighting.” Amuro questioned. She nodded.

“I do – but I would hate Neo Zeon taking over the Earth more, and putting everybody’s lives at risk.” She replied. “What have _you_ been doing all this time?”

Amuro glanced away. “That’s sort of a long story.”

“Well, you’ll have to tell me some other time. I came here to tell you the meeting’s about to start.” She replied. He’d been asleep the whole hour?

“Oh. Alright then.” He said, trying to muster up some enthusiasm into his voice. Of all the things he wanted to do right now, listening to Wong complain about Anaheim’s latest problems wasn’t one of them. Although he wouldn’t mind knowing how Bright was doing. 

As they left the room, he looked down the corridor. The other two doors were shut.

“Are Kamille and Quattro coming?” He asked. 

“They’re already there.” Beltorchika replied. He wondered silently if seeing Wong again was the best thing for Kamille. Oh well. At least it would be entertaining.

* * *

By the time Amuro and Beltorchika arrived at the main bridge, a large holographic projection of Wong’s face was already glaring down at the Audhumla’s crew.

_“Anaheim Electronics can’t provide you with a double zeta. It’s simply not feasible! The first one alone was rushed out, and that took- “_

“Mr. Lee, if Neo Zeon has landed in Dakar as you say, the AEUG needs to have more Mobile Suits on Earth.” Hayato replied firmly. Amuro awkwardly crept into the room as quietly as possible. Hayato sat in the captain’s seat elevated from the ground. Around him, a small gaggle of crew members stared up at the screen displayed on the Audhumla’s main windows. Char and Kamille were amongst them, Kamille leaning heavily on Char to stand.

 _“I cannot perform the impossible, Mr. Kobayashi. At most, an emergency shipment of Nemo types could be arranged from the Cornwall manufacturing plant.”_ Wong replied. His voice, nasal at the best of times, was made grating by the constant crackling static.

“But getting to England would take us 10 hours. By your estimate Neo Zeon will enter European airspace in five.” Hayato growled. Wong’s face shrivelled into a disdainful grimace.

 _“Like I said, it’s all I can provide. There’s simply no time.”_ He replied. 

“You’re just interested in making money for Anaheim!” Kamille shouted. Wong’s face immediately convulsed into an expression of pure disgust. 

“Be quiet, Kamille.” Char ordered.

 _“I see your ace pilot is back, and no different.”_ He sneered. _“I’ll arrange the Nemo shipment. Be there in twelve hours.”_

The screen shut off with a blink. The crew that had been watching avidly began to disperse, muttering amongst themselves as they headed back to their stations.

“I apologise for Kamille’s behaviour.” Char said to Hayato. Kamille hung off his arm with a stubborn look on his face. Hayato shook his head.

“I’m glad to see a return to form. Anyway, Wong deserved it. Anaheim has the ability to make more double zetas, but it would cost them more than pumping out Nemos.” He replied. 

Beltorchika piped up. “Does this mean we’re changing course, captain?”

Hayato sighed. “We have to. I’m sorry Quattro, Amuro – it seems like you’ll have to bear with us for a little longer.”

“I’m grateful you’ll accommodate us.” Char replied. His polite tone may have seemed cordial, but Amuro could tell he was covering up his true feelings. He’d clearly been looking forward to getting away from the war as Amuro had.

Amuro gently removed himself from Beltorchika’s side and walked to Kamille. He was looking grumpy in a way only a teenager could. Oddly enough, Amuro found that comforting. It really was a return to form for him. 

“Did insulting our correspondent to Anaheim make you feel any better?” Amuro teased. Kamille scowled. 

“He’s a dick. He deserves it.” He replied. He seemed to be waiting for Amuro to scold him. When the reprimand didn’t come, he looked up curiously. Amuro couldn’t help but laugh.

“I agree with you. It’s about time Mr. Lee got what’s coming to him.” He replied. Kamille smiled slightly. Char adjusted his sunglasses.

“Don’t get carried away. Whether he deserved it or not, if captain Bright was here you’d be about to get a correction.” He said. Kamille huffed. He seemed about to make a retort but before he could, Char started to walk out of the room.

“I think it’s high time we gave the captain some peace and quiet.” He said. As Amuro watched him and Kamille leave, he glanced at Beltorchika.

What did she expect of him? A lot of things had been left hanging when he left the Audhumla. He just hoped she wouldn’t suggest anything romantic. Before he could talk to her about anything, however, a loud beep sounded and one of the navigators yelped.

“What’s going on?” Hayato demanded. 

“Neo Zeon fleet detected at 5 o’clock, sir. They might not have seen us yet.”

“Take us up, fast. I’d rather not engage until we have those new suits.” He ordered. 

A blaring siren sung out across the ship. Amuro could feel unease creeping back into his stomach. Cold dread was permeating into him – not helped by the sudden violent pull upwards of the Audhumla. He stumbled back but Beltorchika grabbed his hand. He gave her a wobbly smile. 

“I think I need to – go sit down – “He mumbled. Although the awful tilt stopped him from running, he hurried out of the bridge and through the corridors. The same paralysing feeling that had gnawed into him inside the Nemo was attacking him again. Be it a fear of death or a fear of action, his body wanted nothing more than to seize up. Nonetheless he forced himself to keep stumbling through the ship until he found his cabin. 

Once inside the room, his legs crumpled. The ship hit turbulence, making the cabin shudder. He groped for the wall, then rested his forehead on his arm against it. Why did he have to be such a coward? He’d been able to fight through his fear those months ago, fighting back the Titans. Why, now, was he reduced to gasping for air, as the Audhumla bucked and wobbled around him?

Deep down, he suspected that it was partly because of those times, rather than despite them.

“It’s going to be alright.” A deep, familiar voice came from behind him. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Char…” He tried to stand, but his body wouldn’t let him. “I’m – I’m fine, really…”

“You may be a good pilot, but you’re a poor liar.” Char replied.

They knelt there, Char’s hand on Amuro’s shoulder, for who knows how long. Finally, the Audhumla’s trajectory straightened out and his panicked mind was able to relax a little. He turned around and sat against the wall, cheeks rosy with embarrassment.

“I, um… Thank you.” He murmured. “I know I’m being a coward.”

“A coward?” Char shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. Every soldier has scars. Yours just aren’t physical. It’s no more shameful than any other.”

Amuro sighed. “I suppose.”

Char took off his glasses, folded them, and tucked them away in his pocket. His blue eyes roamed across Amuro’s face. The small scar above them, Amuro supposed, was the physical evidence of Char’s deeper wounds.

“I guess most of our scars, we gave to each other.” Amuro murmured. Char looked away.

“It would seem so.” 

Ryu, Matilda, Lalah… It was easier to count those still living that he cared for. He knew, superficially, that many of those deaths were by his and Char’s hands. But deeper, he knew they were only cogs in a machine neither of them could comprehend. 

“In some other life, I bet none of this ever happened.” Amuro said with a sigh. 

“Would we even be the same people?” Char asked.

“I guess not. But we’d be happier.” He replied. “Not just washed up shrapnel.”

To Amuro’s surprise, Char leant towards him. He looked serious, and searched Amuro’s eyes with an intensity that he couldn’t pull away from.

Then, so suddenly it made Amuro’s heart skip a beat, he pulled Amuro into a kiss. 

Their lips met warmly, if tentatively. Amuro was too shocked to move. 

After a fleeting moment, Char moved away. His intense gaze bored into Amuro. He wanted to respond, but he couldn’t. He could only stare back, trying to comprehend what had happened.

“I see.” Char stood up. “I apologise.” 

He left before Amuro could say a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHOHOHOHOHHOHOHOHOHOHOOHHOOHOHOHHO >:DDDDDDDDD  
> (the charmuro aside - how do you guys pronounce 'Nemo'? It's been on my mind for a while now. I watched the dub like a filthy gremlin, so to me its neh-moe.)


	7. Skirmish

Amuro was in limbo. Although the ship’s journey had flattened out, his stomach still twisted in confused spasms. The darkness that had been welcoming turned to pitch, enmeshing him in his thoughts. He had been there who knows long, still reeling from Char’s advances. What had possessed him? Char had never acted that way before. Even so, Amuro had to admit that even so many years ago, they’d always had a peculiar connection. He’d just always thought Char saw it as Newtype empathy, nothing more.

He pulled himself to his feet. While he was mostly preoccupied with trying to understand what Char wanted, he also couldn’t help but regret his actions. He hadn’t disliked it. Now that it was over, all he wanted was for it to happen all over again. But like an idiot he’d gaped at Char without a word, and despite their distance he could feel the effect he’d had on Char.

“I’m an idiot.” He muttered, his voice thick. The darkness was starting to get to him; the walls seemed to bend towards him, ready to pull him in. He left the room as quickly as he could. He would check on Kamille. 

The medical bay was easy to find. Every junction seemed to have a sign pointing the way, in preparation of the endless trips to and from the suit bay. The sick bay itself was banally white. Of its several beds, only one was occupied. A quick glance over revealed the occupant to be a young man Amuro had never seen before. Where was Kamille? Amuro looked around the rest of the room. Against the far wall, a man in a lab coat was at a desk examining some papers.

“Excuse me…” Amuro tentatively walked further into the room. The man stood up and turned to smile at him.

“You must be Amuro. I’m Doctor Ewin. Is there anything I can do for you?” He asked. His dusty brown hair was swept across his forehead over inquisitive eyes.

“Uh, yeah. Isn’t Kamille Bidan supposed to be in here? He’s got blue hair, kind of a bad attitude…” Amuro trailed off, still looking around in hopes that he’d just glanced over Kamille. 

“Oh, Kamille! He was here, but there’s nothing I can really do for him. All he needs is time and light exercise. He said he wanted to see the Mobile Suits, and I thought a walk would do him good. Besides – I don’t think I could keep him in bed if I tried.” Dr. Ewin replied with a laugh.

Amuro frowned. He couldn’t help but feel irresponsible. He should be keeping closer tabs on Kamille – if he could get nothing else right, he had to at least fulfil his promise to Bright.

“Thank you, Dr. Ewin. I hope he hasn’t been any trouble.” He replied, already heading out the door. As he headed towards the Mobile Suit bay, his mind wandered to the past. Had Char always felt this way? Had there been feelings Amuro had ignored, too engrossed in his regrets? 

He was so lost in thought that when he reached the Mobile Suit bay he wondered why he had come. After a moment his train of thought finally caught up with him. He strode onto the lower floor of the bay, neck craned upwards in search of Kamille. A few engineers littered the ground floor, but most were perched on scissor lifts or standing on the limbs and shoulders of Mobile Suits. On the side where Amuro had walked in from, beam rifles lined the wall.

“Kamille? Kamille!” He shouted. Far above him, a blue-haired head popped over the edge of an outstretched Rick Dias arm. Amuro sighed. There was a scissor lift by the Mobile Suit, but it was fully extended. He hopped onto the Rick Dias’s ascension rope instead and quickly left the ground behind.

When he reached the cockpit, he could see Kamille and another person sitting on the large forearm. Amuro scrambled onto the shoulder plate, then hopped onto the arm. 

“Kamille, this is dangerous. You shouldn’t be up here. Dr. Ewin said you were going for a walk, not endangering your life up here when you can’t even – “Amuro’s tirade trailed off when he saw who the person with Kamille was. It was the mechanic from before; the woman who had first greeted him when they boarded the Audhumla. Currently she was covered in grease, holding a wrench, and staring bright-eyed at Amuro. 

“I’m not in danger. Vera is letting me help her.” Kamille rebutted. Vera saluted.

“Vera Sanders, sir.” She said with great gusto. He waved away her militant greeting.

“I’m not an Earth Federation soldier any more. It’s really not necessary.” He said. 

“But you’re Amuro Ray, sir. I know all about you during the One Year War. And then helping fight against the Titans and Neo Zeon – you’re a hero.” She beamed. Amuro’s eyes slid to Kamille. To his relief, Kamille looked as overwhelmed by her praise as he did.

“Well, um. Thank you.” He scratched the nape of his neck. His annoyance at Kamille began to soften. “So… What are you two doing?”

“Fixing the wrist joint. When the gun got shot out of its hand, the wrist got pulled back way too far.” Vera replied. “We really should replace the whole cardan joint, but there’s no spares left.”

Amuro leant over Kamille to look at the Rick Dias’s wrist. Sure enough, the joint was warped so badly he doubted the hand could move at all. The metal looked worryingly like a pretzel.

“I don’t know if there’s any saving that.” He said.

“Not with that attitude.” Vera said with a smile. Her grin quickly faded, however. “Maybe we could remove the hand and attach a beam rifle to the forearm?”

Her musing was cut short by a blaring klaxon. She winced and clapped his hands over his ears. After a blare of static, a loudspeaker crackled to life.

_“All hands, level one battle stations! Three Gaza-Ds incoming!”_

“Shit!” Vera swore and kicked the broken joint. Amuro grabbed Kamille’s arm and started to head towards the scissor lift. Below them, one pilot was scurrying towards the undamaged Rick Dias.

“Why aren’t you sending out both mobile suits?” Amuro demanded. Vera hopped onto the scissor lift and slammed the button, sending them downwards at an excruciatingly slow pace. 

“There’s nobody left to pilot the Asshimar. Leah was the only other pilot, and in the last attack…” Vera swore again. “Damn it. If only we had a little more time- “

Finally, the scissor lift screeched to a halt. To their left the Audhumla’s hangar slowly opened, sending wind whipping through the suit bay. A cacophony of metallic clanging surrounded them as the Rick Dias slowly made its way down the hangar. The sirens, machinery, and wind all came together into one hellish orchestra.

“Let me help. I can still do something!” Kamille yelled over the sound, grabbing Vera’s shoulder.

“You’d help best by getting out of the way!” Vera yelled back. Kamille said something back angrily, but it was drowned out by a beam howling past the Audhumla. Amuro ignored him and hopped off the lift, helping Kamille down after him. The Rick Dias in front of them blasted off into the sky. Its thrusters filled the air with acrid smoke, making Amuro’s eyes water. 

“I have to help! I have to!” Kamille yelled. He tore away from Amuro and stumbled back towards the damaged Rick Dias. When he realised what Kamille was doing, his stomach dropped. 

“Stop!” He lunged towards him – but it was too late. Kamille had grabbed onto the ascension rope and was sent spiralling back upwards. Amuro turned to Vera.

“Take us back up!” He demanded. She shook her head.

“No way! We need to get out of the Mobile Suit bay!” She yelled back. Amuro nearly forced his way past her back to the lift, but the Rick Dias in front of them lurched to life. 

“Kamille, stop that right now!” The familiar voice came from behind Amuro. He turned to see Char leaning over the upper floor’s balcony, glasses unable to hide his concern – and fear. 

Vera grabbed Amuro’s arm and pulled him away from the Rick Dias. Kamille sent the Mobile Suit stomping forwards. With the undamaged left hand, he tore a beam rifle from the opposite wall. 

“Kamille, stop!” Even as he yelled, Amuro knew he couldn’t be heard. Instead he ran towards the Asshimar, his heartbeat pounding in his eardrums. There was no time to think. Only to act.

By the time he had scurried into the Asshimar’s cockpit, Kamille’s Rick Dias had jumped out of the Audhumla, into the open blue sky. Settling himself in the seat, Amuro flicked on the systems. He was running on instinct, his mind empty save for one thought: 

Save Kamille.

The cockpit’s door hissed shut. The Asshimar groaned to life, lights blinking on and screens flashing white before displaying the outside world. He slammed the control stick forward. The Asshimar lurched forward. He stomped towards the open hangar. He could now see the enemy Gaza-Ds, quickly approaching on base jabbers. The two Rick Dias suits were far above him, swooping through the area to avoid the beam barrage.

Amuro propelled the Asshimar forward. When its stocky legs had left the hangar, he turned it to its mobile armour form. The limbs quickly rearranged themselves, although the cockpit blessedly stayed mostly still. In its new disc-like form, the Asshimar shot forward. 

Amuro flicked on the radio. “Kamille, head back to the Audhumla.”

He didn’t get a response. “Kamille, I know you can hear this. Turn back now.”

A beam flew past him, far too close for comfort. He returned fire, sending one of the Gaza-Ds flying off its base jabber. It erupted into smoke and spiralled downward, leaving a trail of white in its wake. A Rick Dias fell back, getting close to Amuro.

“Weiss here.” A feminine voice spoke through his radio. “Isn’t that Rick Dias damaged?”

“Yes, and the pilot’s an injured kid!” Amuro replied through gritted teeth. A spray of beam fire surrounded them so Amuro split away. His Asshimar spun sickeningly fast, finally levelling out to take a few shots in return. A shiver of prescience crept down his spine. He could see Kamille’s Rick Dias far ahead of them, mere metres away from one of the Gaza-Ds. Amuro’s blood went cold. 

“Kamille!” He forced the Asshimar to accelerate. Kamille and the Neo Zeon suit pulled out their beam swords. The sense of terrifying awareness became stronger. Amuro’s eyes flickered to the right. The second Gaza-D was behind Kamille. 

“NO!”

_BangBangBang!_

Amuro let loose a wild spray of fire. The Gaza-D – its rifle already aimed at Kamille – erupted into explosions, its purple armour ripped apart like paper by blinding flames. The only remaining Gaza-D could do nothing as Kamille’s beam sword tore into it. Its limbs went limp, like a corpse on a wooden spike. As Kamille’s beam sword withdrew, the lifeless Gaza-D went tumbling through the sky, disappearing into the clouds below. 

Only now did Amuro realise how hard he was gripping the control stick. He gently pried his fingers off and tried to slow his rapidly beating heart. His skin was damp with cold sweat. Somehow, he’d managed to fly again.

* * *

Returning to the Audhumla was mostly a blur. Transforming and parking the suit were simply muscle memory – and it was a good thing he could rely on instinct. His mind was simultaneously running wild, and completely blank. The cockpit door finally sliding open was such a relief that he almost cried. He pulled himself out and let the ascension rope return him to the ground.  
Beltorchika was waiting for him at the bottom. She instantly enveloped him in a hug.

“Oh, darling – you were incredible out there. I know how hard it is for you.” She murmured. Amuro stared at her blankly. For some reason, he hadn’t felt the painful gut wrenching, nor the nauseating fear.   
“I… I don’t know how I did it.” He mumbled. Beltorchika smiled.

“You could do it because we needed a hero.” She replied. He smiled back weakly. While Beltorchika crushed him in more hugs, his gaze roamed around the mobile suit bay. Both Rick Dias were back in the Audhumla, and a cursory look around revealed Kamille. He had just reached the ground and looked angry. Amuro gently extricated himself from Beltorchika and stormed over.

“Kamille, why the fuck did you do that?” He fumed. Kamille balled his fists.

“I had to! Otherwise everybody would die!” He snapped back. 

“No, you didn’t! I was here, and so was Weiss. Putting your life at risk all the time is just idiocy!” 

“I’m a soldier! That’s what a soldier has to do!” Kamille yelled. Amuro went silent. Was that really how he saw himself?

“You’re not a soldier, Kamille. You shouldn’t have to be.” He murmured. Kamille’s face twisted into a grimace. Then, ever so slowly, tears rolled down his cheeks. Amuro hugged him, letting Kamille hide his angry sobs in Amuro’s chest. A gentle but telling sensation told Amuro that Char was watching them. Although he’d been able to ignore it during Kamille’s terrifying escapade, his issues with Char crashed back down on him. He sighed, ruffling Kamille’s hair. 

“It’s going to be ok.” He said quietly. Maybe if he said it enough times, he would start to believe it too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I learnt about mechanics to write this chapter are u proud of me ;ww;
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this! This chapter gave me lots of trouble, so I apologise for the wait. It went through a lot of revision before ending up like this! But the story always seems to know which way it wants to go in the end :3  
> (Vera Sanders... Dr. Ewin.... A gundam reference? in MY gundam fanfic? it's more likely than you think!)


	8. Fervour

The artificial light of the sick bay washed Kamille’s hair a light aquamarine. He lay asleep, face peaceful – as though hours before he hadn’t been recklessly fighting Neo Zeon. After his outburst he had been exhausted and dozed off soon after returning to his bed. Amuro wished he could sleep so soundly. His mind, still reeling from his fleeting kiss with Char, refused to let him rest. Instead he sat by Kamille’s bed, watching him and contemplating in silence.

_Knock knock._

He turned to see Beltorchika at the door. He smiled and gave a small wave. She walked to stand beside him, looking down at Kamille with a fond expression on her face.

“He’s a handful, isn’t he?” She said. 

“He sure is.” Amuro sighed. “It’s no wonder Bright took him to Earth. If he was still on the Argama he’d get himself killed somehow.”

“Well, he knew Kamille would be in good hands here.”

Amuro smiled mirthlessly. “Me? I’ve endangered him too many times. I’m a terrible guardian.”

Beltorchika sat on the armrest of Amuro’s chair. “That’s not true and you know it.”

She placed her hand on Amuro’s shoulder, which put a crimp in his smile. He shouldn’t have gone off without telling her anything. Now that he was back, telling her he wasn’t interested in a relationship felt insurmountably hard. He coughed, trying to wet his dry mouth.

“Bel, I- “

“I know.” She interrupted. He stared at her, mouth agape. Her eyes twinkled, clearly bemused. “You’re very sorry that you didn’t tell me sooner, but you’re not romantically attracted to me.”

Amuro nodded wordlessly. She smiled as if at her own inside joke. “It’s not hard to tell when a man doesn’t feel that way about you. Especially men like you.” She winked. “You’re like an open book.”

He grinned sheepishly, a blush rising to his cheeks. “I didn’t realise it was that obvious. I’m really sorry, Bel. I left without saying anything – I led you on.”

She waved away his apology. “I knew back then too. I just wanted to hear it from you.”

The heat in Amuro’s cheeks increased. “I’m still really sorry. I shouldn’t have wasted any of your time. And it’s not that you aren’t beautiful! You’re – um – you’re a wonderful woman, but I, um – “–The more he spoke, the more lost he became in his own words. He knew the reason why he felt nothing of that sort towards Beltorchika, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Before he could whip himself into a frenzy of ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’, Beltorchika gently interjected.

“You’re gay, right?”

Amuro looked at her in panic. He was, wasn’t he? Until recently he’d simply thought he hadn’t found the right woman yet. But now, finally hearing it out loud, the jigsaw pieces began to fall into place.  
“Um… I guess so.” He admitted. He looked at her curiously. “How did you know?”

Her rosy lips pouted in mock sincerity. “A woman’s intuition.”

When she saw that Amuro was absorbing her sentence with an incredibly serious expression, she giggled. “I mean, it’s a little obvious.”

If it was even possible, Amuro’s blush reached a new level of redness. “O-Obvious?”

“Well, there’s something going on between you and Lieutenant Quattro, isn’t there?”

Her unflinching confidence both embarrassed and confused him. How on Earth had she been able to tell, when Char’s kiss had taken him completely by surprise?

“He’s always staring at you. Even with those glasses on, I can tell he is. You do the same thing. And – don’t tell him I said this – but earlier, before the meeting with Mr. Lee, he came to talk to me about – “She lowered her voice – “ _Romance advice._ ”

Amuro hid his face in his hands. Everything made sense now. The impromptu kiss had been spurred on by Beltorchika’s advice.

“Did he… mention me?”

“No, but it was pretty obvious. I mean, who else would it be?” Beltorchika replied with a chuckle. “You two are really hopeless.”

Amuro laughed a little too. Now that his embarrassment had begun to fade, he could see the absurdity of his situation. Char was probably just waiting for some sign that Amuro reciprocated his feelings, while Amuro was driving himself crazy over what to do when the solution was clear. He simply had to talk to Char.

The weight that settled in his stomach at the thought reminded him that was easier said than done.

Beltorchika stood up, glancing one more time at Kamille. “Dr. Ewin said he wasn’t likely to wake up until tomorrow. You should go talk to Quattro.”

She turned to leave. Before she could, Amuro reached up to grasp her hand.

“Thank you, Bel. I appreciate it.” He said. She smiled tenderly. 

“Don’t worry about it. Helping each other out is what friends do, isn’t it?”

Woosh. The door slid shut behind her. Amuro exhaled, releasing all the pent up anxious energy inside him. While talking to Beltorchika had gone immensely better than he had expected, a new challenge had arisen. 

“You’d think I’d be better at dating by 23.” He said to Kamille, who let out a gentle snore in reply. He should take this chance. What was the worst that could come of it? His mind helpfully conjured countless embarrassing possibilities. He gritted his teeth and stood up. Be it Newtype prescience or an understanding of his rival-turned-friend, he knew where Char would be.

* * *

The cabins were the quietest place on the Audhumla. While the hum of the engines was omnipresent, everybody was either asleep or working elsewhere. Char’s cabin door was open, but the light was off. The only illumination came from the corridor, which spilled in onto the floor in a rectangle. Amuro gently knocked on the doorframe.

“Come in.” Char was sitting on the edge of his bed. His glasses sat folded on the nightstand. Upon seeing Amuro he stood up. Amuro stepped into the room delicately, as if the atmosphere in the room was tangible and would shatter like glass if he moved slightly wrong.

“Mind if I turn on the light?” Char’s response was a small nod, so Amuro flicked on the light. Despite having driven away the shadows, he felt no more at ease. He closed the door behind him. As he inched a little further into the room, he found himself hiding behind small talk.

“Kamille is in the sick bay. Dr. Ewin said we didn’t need to worry. He didn’t really get hurt, just tired out.” He rambled. He inhaled to begin another spiel about mobile suit upkeep, but Char stepped forward.

“Amuro.” The serious tone in his voice was unsettling.

“I apologise again for my actions. I acted disrespectfully and rashly, compromising both of us, and in doing so put my emotions before Kamille’s wellbeing.” He said. Although he seemed professional on the surface, Amuro could feel his pain. It was like a bleeding gash, vivid and painful. There was embarrassment, yes – but also loneliness. A terrible, consuming loneliness that Amuro knew far too well. That recognition was what pushed him forward, until he was close enough to touch Char. 

“Please don’t apologise.” He managed to say. “You don’t need to.”

Silence fell on them like a heavy blanket. Although they uttered no words, Amuro could tell Char was trying to understand him. 

“My father said Newtypes would be able to understand each other without misconceptions.” Char said. “But no matter what, I can’t seem to understand you.”

“That feeling is mutual.” Amuro admitted. Char’s mouth crept into a tiny smile. Suddenly Amuro felt unable to focus on anything but the minutiae of Char’s expression. His eyes, while cold, harboured a sense of longing. It was imposing – yet arousing. His mouth, still quietly humoured, seemed to be getting closer. 

When they kissed for the second time Amuro was, again, too surprised to move. This time however, what surprised him was how much he wanted Char. He wanted to understand him, to touch him, to be as close to him as possible. Even their kiss, which was quickly becoming more passionate, didn’t feel close enough. Amuro crept his hands onto Char’s back, pressing into him. The red shirt of his that Char still wore was silky to the touch, but he was far more interested in the warmth underneath.

Their kiss broke apart for a moment and Amuro caught his ragged breath. Char searched his gaze.

“Everything we’ve been through… We should be enemies.” He said. 

“Should we?” Amuro countered. 

Before he knew it, they were on the bed. Amuro lay on his back, staring up at Char. Char’s hands roamed, slowly inching lower. He understood how he felt – part of him still vividly remembered each fight they’d had, desperately trying to survive. But even so, he longed for Char. 

They kissed again. Char’s hands slipped down to Amuro’s hips as he drew him closer. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than Amuro could have ever imagined. He soon found himself fumbling with the buttons on Char’s shirt, compelled by that need to get ever closer to him. His own shirt was promptly thrown aside.

For all his desires, Amuro didn’t really know what he was doing. He was loathe to admit, but he’d never done anything of the sort before. When a particularly passionate kiss made them bump noses, he blushed.

“I’m glad one of us knows what they’re doing.” He said quietly. Char grinned devilishly.

“With your looks, I’m surprised you’re not more experienced.”

“Saving the world doesn’t leave much time for anything else.” Amuro replied dryly. Char chuckled. His hand crept lower, making Amuro flush red.

“N-Not that. Not tonight.” He said hurriedly. Char immediately withdrew, instead returning upwards to run his hand over Amuro’s chest.

“My apologies.” He murmured. Then they were close again, passion and conflict and indecision releasing themselves through meandering hands and fervid kissing. If just for a night, the worries of tomorrow, of implication and consequence, were forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look I know I said it would be a slow burn but this is as slow as this gay could handle
> 
> Sorry for the slightly short chapter, guys! This chapter was a tough one to write the way I wanted it, but I'm pretty satisfied with the result. No sex scene because I'm a weenie, but if I can build up the courage and writing ability there may be one in the future.
> 
> Thank you as always for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated <3


	9. Landing

Soft sunlight stirred Amuro out of his slumber. He pried his eyes open, groggily taking in his surroundings. The light that had woken him slanted in through the cabin’s porthole, tinted soft yellow that suggested morning. Dust particles danced in the light. The morning was wonderfully peaceful, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d forgotten something.

His eyes snapped open. He was in Char’s bed. In Char’s cabin. Last night’s memories came back to him like a flood. They must have stayed up for hours. He didn’t remember falling asleep, but what he did remember made him smile. 

He rolled over to put his arm on Char but found only emptiness beside him. Amuro exhaled a miserable huff. Maybe a lazy morning staying in bed with him was too much to ask, but it would have been nice. As it was he hauled himself out of bed. His shirt and jacket had been picked up from the floor and neatly folded on the end of the bed. He plucked them from the sheets and put them on. Perhaps Char was at the canteen having breakfast. Amuro wondered what on Earth he was going to say when they saw each other next. Before he headed there, however, he was in dire need of a shower.

* * *

He felt much more awake after emerging from the Audhumla’s shower and trotted to the canteen with an unusually hopeful feeling blooming in his chest. It had been quite a while since he hadn’t been actively worrying about something, but now that feeling of distress had been eclipsed by excitement. 

He trundled into the canteen with a spring in his step, trying to look inconspicuous as he searched the room for Char. Unfortunately, he didn’t spot any locks of golden hair, nor the shine of any sunglasses. After receiving a tray of (presumably) coffee and somewhat suspicious looking toast, he did spot Beltorchika, who beamed at him and gestured frantically for him to sit by her. 

“Good morning.” He gave a small wave. She looked ready to explode, eyes gleaming. He sat down and mentally prepared himself.

“Well?” She leapt immediately to questioning him. He sipped his coffee. 

“Well what?”

“Don’t be sly, you know what. How did it go?” She asked. Amuro couldn’t hold back his own smile any longer.

“It went great. I thought he might have been mad at me, but he wasn’t at all. He, um…” Amuro trailed off. Beltorchika gasped. She leaned forwards and put a hand beside her mouth.

“Did you two-?” She whispered.

“N-No! Of course not!” Amuro yelped, waving his hands in vehement denial. “We just, you know. Kissed. Made out.” By the time his sentence ended, his voice had crept quieter into barely a whisper.

Beltorchika giggled. “You’re acting like a teenager on his first date.”

“Well, it kind of was.” Amuro admitted. “I was always more interested in machinery as a kid, then the One Year War happened – there’s just never been time.”

“Or the right person.” She added. He nodded. 

“So, are you his boyfriend then?” She asked. 

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask. It seems like an awfully weighty term, doesn’t it? After all, yesterday was only the first time.”

“The first time of what?” Kamille plonked his tray down beside Amuro, making him jump. 

“K-Kamille! Shouldn’t you be in the sick bay?” Amuro artfully dodged the question. Kamille let out a stubborn huff.

“I have permission from Dr. Ewin. I’m just not allowed in the mobile suit bay anymore.” He replied matter-of-factly. Amuro sighed. He wanted to reprimand Kamille for what he’d done, but he just didn’t have the heart to anymore.

“So, the first time of what?” He asked again. Did he not have the first sense of tact? Well, Amuro already knew that.

“The first time Amuro flew an Asshimar.” Beltorchika interjected. She made a strange face at Amuro, which he presumed meant he should agree. He nodded vigorously. Kamille looked at him skeptically but didn’t push the subject, instead beginning to devour his toast. Thank god, Amuro thought. He was an awful liar and if Kamille found out about him and Char, he would probably die of embarrassment.  
Amuro also tucked into his breakfast, and for a while their conversation lulled. When his impressively tasteless toast was all eaten, he quickly excused himself.

“I’m going to check with Hayato and see how much longer until we land.” He told them before scurrying away. It wasn’t really a lie, he wanted to know. He had just forgot to mention his ulterior motive – he wanted to find Char.

He purposefully took the longest route, walking past endless rooms. Some of them he ducked his head into, hopeful for that telling glimpse of blond. However, all he saw was computers and storage rooms full of crates. After a while, he began to wonder whether Char was already at the bridge. He stopped at a T junction in the corridors to read the directions painted on the wall.

“Looking for me?” A sudden voice made him jump. He turned to see Char to the left of him, leaning on the wall. He must have been looking out at the sky, as he stood opposite to a porthole. His lips curled up, as if he knew what Amuro had been doing. As if he’d been waiting.

“I was going to the bridge, actually.” Amuro replied. He walked to the porthole and peered out. They were just above the clouds, which rolled like a fluffy ocean beneath them. 

“It shouldn’t be long until we reach Cornwall.” He said. 

“Then I suppose there’s some time to fill.” Char replied. 

“Well, everyone needs help. We could be fixing mobile suits, or on the bridge.” Amuro said. His suggestions were blithely ignored by Char, who instead held his shoulder. He pulled Amuro close, into an open-mouthed kiss that he melted into gladly. His yearning for proximity returned, making him press into Char, anxious to be as close as possible.

His back was against the wall. A leg sliding between his own made him blush. Each pause in their kissing was punctuated by quiet breaths, the only sound beside the engine’s hum.

_BEEP! BEEP!_

A loud wail made Amuro flinch. The Audhumla’s sirens had burst to life, pulsing twice before being replaced by a voice.

“The Audhumla is landing in five minutes!” The voice announced. Char let out a small _tch_ of annoyance and stepped away, rearranging his sunglasses. 

“We should go the bridge.” He said. His cool veneer had already settled back into place, to Amuro’s disappointment. Char strode away and Amuro hurried to catch up.

As they walked towards the bridge more than a few people passed them, all in a hurry. It seemed that many last-minute preparations had to be made. 

When they reached the bridge, Hayato greeted them.

“Good morning. As soon as Newquay airport gives us permission to land, we’ll be loading on those Nemos. You’re welcome to disembark during that – it’ll take a few hours to get through all the paperwork, knowing Anaheim.”

“And then where to?” Char asked. 

“We’re not sure yet. The Nahel Argama is set to rendezvous with us this evening. They’ve been travelling over Africa but seem to have important news about Neo Zeon’s next move.” He replied.

“Nahel Argama…?” Amuro echoed. 

“That’s the new ship from the La Vie en Rose, to replace the Argama. It’ll be nice to finally see Captain Bright and the rest again.” Hayato said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. Bright was on Earth?

“The fresh air will do Kamille good. We’ll aim to be back by three.” Char said. He glanced out the bridge’s huge windows. The Audhumla was soaring over patchwork green fields, each one a slightly different shade of green. The clouds above them dappled the ground in constantly shifting shapes. 

“Permission to land granted on runway two, sir.” A woman reported from the front of the bridge.

“Alright. You two had better hold onto something.” Hayato said to Char and Amuro. He then turned to face forward. “Bring us down.”

Amuro shuffled further into the room and gripped a metal bar that protruded from the wall. Char gripped the same bar a little higher, his shoulder almost touching Amuro’s. Even such a small act of closeness now felt meaningful and Amuro had to force himself not to shimmy closer.

The ground was approaching rapidly. In the distance a long grey strip led into the distance, flanked by yellow lights on both sides. To the right of the airport he could see a small town. The buildings were so small from such a distance that they almost looked fake.

As the Audhumla’s wheels touched down, the bridge wobbled and Amuro nearly lost his footing. Char caught him from behind, gently returning him to his feet. His hand lingered on Amuro’s back. Although he still felt a little ill from the rocking and shaking, Char’s presence took the edge off Amuro’s discomfort.

Finally, the Audhumla was firmly on the runway. Only now did Amuro realise his grip on the metal bar was vicelike, his knuckles white. He let go and exhaled in relief. It felt wonderful to finally be back on solid ground.

* * *

The airport lobby was surprisingly homey. Amuro had been expecting clinical white walls and metal structures offense to the eyes, but Newquay’s airport felt comfortably quiet. It was small and mostly beige, full of clearly outdated technology that was turning yellow with age. Everyone working there seemed jovial, more than happy to tell Amuro and Char all about Newquay’s tourist attractions. It had been quite difficult to extricate themselves from a conversation with a plump attendant. Finally, they found themselves waiting in the circular front lobby, as a few other members of the Audhumla wandered out.

“Dr. Ewin’s check-up is taking a very long time.” Amuro said. Dr. Ewin had permitted Kamille coming with them to Newquay as long as he had a check-up beforehand, but the wait seemed to be dragging on forever.

“Patience is a virtue.” Char replied. Amuro rolled his eyes.

“I hate it when you’re polite to cover up how condescending you’re being.” He complained. Char only smiled.

“I’ll make sure to stop being polite, then.” He teased. 

“Amuro! Quattro!” Amuro turned to see Kamille walking towards them. He was clearly going as fast as he could – which seemed to be a brisk trot. Amuro waved, getting to his feet.

“Hey, Kamille. Remember, Dr. Ewin will give you hell if you do something stupid again.” He warned. Kamille grimaced.

“I didn’t do anything stupid in the first place.” He replied stubbornly. He was wearing a sea green jumper and jeans. Amuro wondered who had given them to him. Their own duffel bag was presumably still in that half-broken house. At least they still had the passports and money – they sat in his jacket’s inner pocket, their weight a comforting reminder of their presence.

The three of them walked out of the lobby and to the outside world. The warm sun was balanced by a cool wind that made the tall oak trees rustle. A subtle scent of sea salt in the wind suggested the ocean wasn’t far away. The airport opened out into a small carpark, beyond which the houses of Newquay stood.

“I was thinking we could get some ice cream.” Amuro suggested. Kamille instantly perked up. 

“Hell yeah!” He whooped. 

“Remember, we should use the names on our passports.” Amuro reminded him. “So I’m Sydney, Char is Edward, and you’re Avery.”

Kamille’s expression immediately blackened “Avery is a girl’s name.”

“It’s unisex!” Amuro protested. They bickered back and forth as they crossed the car park. Newquay was so wonderfully calm – it felt untouched by the war. Of course, if he looked hard enough, he knew there would be the little things. A pointed absence of young men around town, Federation soldiers chatting around a café table. But for now, he decided to let himself forget about it.

Just for a day, it wasn’t his problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!! I really hope you enjoyed reading this chapter <3 as always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!
> 
> By the way - the story is pretty firmly in ZZ time now, and it's going to follow the storyline of that - somewhat. I have better things to do than rewatch ZZ so I'll be going off memory and the wiki. Please don't expect complete faithfulness to canon! :P


	10. Introductions

“How do I look?” 

“Do you mind constructive criticism?”

“Go on.”

“It looks like everything else you’ve tried on.”

Char smirked. He stood just outside the changing room, donned in a red turtleneck and black jeans that showed off his thighs far too well. The turtleneck reeked of pretentiousness and was the fourth red item Char had tried on so far. The others were a t-shirt, mauve jeans (that Amuro had immediately vetoed), and a jacket that Char was already set on buying.

“That’s because everything else has looked great.” Char replied.

“No, it’s because it’s all red.” Amuro corrected.

“Well, there was a nice gold top on the discount rack.” Char said thoughtfully. Amuro hoped he was joking. He pushed himself up from the wicker chair he had been sitting on.

“You should just get a white shirt to go with the jacket. If you wear red on red again I’ll refuse to stand next to you.” He said. Char sighed and turned back towards the changing room.

“My apologies, fashion police.” He said. Amuro shook his head with a smile and turned to the rest of the store. It was a dinky second hand store, full to the brim with trinkets. It was also the perfect place to get a change of clothes; their current outfits were in desperate need of a visit to the local laundromat. He had found a shirt with ‘TOLRO’ emblazoned on it and a pair of jeans torn apart at the knees. It wasn’t his usual look, but they were comfortable and cheap. He had already changed into them – his other clothes lay draped over his arm.

“Amuro, can you give me some cash? I found cool shoes.” Kamille approached him, a large bag already hanging from his arm. A pair of high-top canvas shoes dangled by the laces from his left hand.  
“How much are they?”

“Three pounds. So, like…” Kamille quickly counted on his fingers. “Fifteen Hytes.”

Amuro rummaged in his pocket and pulled out the small wad of notes. He was just glad Bright had given them a currency used on Earth – Gilla or Bits would have been worthless. He gave a few notes to Kamille, who immediately ran off to the counter. 

While they waited for Char, Amuro found himself at the store’s front window. The main street of Newquay was wonderfully peaceful, with only a few people walking back and forth. There were a few obvious traces of the Anaheim factory just outside town – workers off duty wandered past in their uniform, and a thin drizzle of smoke marred the otherwise clear sky.

“Alright, what do you think?” Amuro looked over his shoulder to see Char. The turtleneck had been discarded in favour of a black shirt and the red jacket from before. For being cheap as dirt they made him look unfairly attractive. He held a fabric bag, presumably with his other clothes inside.

“Better than the turtleneck.” He said. “Let’s get these to the laundromat.”

* * *

The tumbling dryers were hypnotic. It was impossible to look at them without feeling disoriented. Amuro and Char sat opposite the machines, the gentle rumbling quite calming. Amuro rested his head against Char’s shoulder.

“You think Kamille actually went to buy a drink?”

“Maybe. He probably just wants some space. He hasn’t been alone for a week.”

“You’re right.” Amuro said with a sigh. “I hope he doesn’t feel too bad about what happened yesterday.”

“Knowing Kamille, I’m sure he doesn’t regret it at all.” Char replied. He was right, yet Amuro couldn’t help but worry. Over the years he’d refined worrying into a fine art, spending many a wasted evening distressing over the unknowable. 

The spinning dryers were boring to staring at, so Amuro’s gaze eventually wandered to the front windows. Huge wall-length glass panes looked out onto the main street. He idly watched the passers-by. A teenage boy walked past the store, talking animatedly to his friends a little behind him. 

_Ding!_

The dryer ground to a halt. Char walked over and popped the door open.

“Hold the bag open.” He ordered. Amuro complied, although not without plenty of grumbling. As Char deftly folded clothes, Amuro found his mind wandering back to the teenagers he’d seen. Something about one of them bugged him – surely, he couldn’t have seen them before. But even so, the thought nagged him. As soon as their clothes were put away, he hurried outside. They were still in sight, their backs turned to him.

“Excuse me!” He called out. A few of their heads turned. He frantically searched their faces, looking for what had caught his attention before. 

“Amuro? What are you doing?” Kamille trotted up beside him, a can of soft drink in his hand. “Can we get something to eat? I’m hungry.” 

“Kamille?” A soft voice floated from the group of teens. Amuro stared in disbelief as a very familiar face took a step towards them. The can fell from Kamille’s hand, skittering across the ground.

“Fa?”

For a moment, Kamille didn’t move. Then he ran. He nearly bowled Fa over in a hug, much to the confusion of both Amuro and the other teenagers.

“Amuro, it’s getting on. We should get back to the Audhumla.” Char trundled out of the laundromat. When he saw the strange scene unfolding before him, he raised his eyebrows.

“Who are you?” The brown-haired boy challenged. Fa giggled.

“Don’t be like that, Judau. Kamille is my best friend! He’s part of the AEUG too. And that’s Lieutenant Quattro and Amuro.” She explained. A girl with lavender hair gasped, her eyes bulging out of her head.

“Amuro? _The_ Amuro Ray?” She raced up to him, stars in her eyes. “You’re so awesome! I’ve heard so much about you. I became a pilot because of you! Oh my god!”

Amuro shot Fa a panicked look. Who on earth were these people? She beamed at him over Kamille’s shoulder, her eyes swelling with happy tears.

“Amuro, Quattro, these are the new pilots on the Nahel Argama. Meet Judau, Elle, Iino, Beecha, Mondo, and Roux.”

A bittersweet feeling settled in Amuro’s stomach. The many kids were having a grand time introducing themselves to Kamille, but their young age made him feel sick. After all this time, they were still depending on children to fight their wars? Vera had mentioned them earlier but seeing them in the flesh made it feel much worse.

“Let’s go back to the airport!” Judau said. “You’ve gotta see the Double Zeta. It’s awesome!”

The constant chattering between the younger pilots meant neither Amuro nor Char could get a word in edgewise, and soon they found themselves being led back to the airport. Amuro eventually managed to withdraw from Roux’s excited praise, and slowed down to match pace with Char. They were now just behind the large group.

“They’re barely teenagers.” Amuro said quietly. “I hate to think about them fighting those Zeon scum.” 

Char glanced over at Kamille.

“As long as it's their choice, why shouldn’t they fight? It’s their future they’re protecting.”

Amuro frowned. “Will you still feel that way when one of them dies?”

“Yes, I will.” Char replied. Amuro huffed and jammed his hands into his pockets. He would never understand Char. 

“-And then, we crossed Africa!” One of the kid’s voices floated across to them. “It was super hot, and all the sand got in my Hyaku Shiki!”

“His Hyaku Shiki?” Char murmured. To Amuro’s surprise he looked visibly annoyed, toying with a lock of hair to cover his scowl. Amuro couldn’t help but laugh.

“Feeling jealous?” He chuckled. Char’s scowl wavered and crept into a smile.

“A little.” He admitted. The tense atmosphere that had gathered immediately disappeared, replaced by their laughter. 

The sun had passed its zenith by the time they returned to the airport. The small lobby seemed much more energetic and was filled with people in uniforms. Amuro spotted Torres standing by the reception, clearly searching the crowd for somebody. When Torres saw the large group he immediately hurried over.

“Judau! Bright said you had to be back by noon! He blamed it all on me.” Torres complained. Judau flashed him a toothy grin. 

“It’s not my fault. Look at who we found in town!” He pointed gleefully at Kamille, who was ignoring him in favour of talking to Fa. Torres’ eyes went wide.

“Kamille? It’s so awesome to see you again!” He beamed. “How have things been on Earth?”

Torres was dangerously close to being sucked into an endless conversation, but luckily Char stepped in.

“Shouldn’t we be heading to the Audhumla?” He suggested. Torres shook his head.

“The briefing is happening on the Nahel Argama – and soon, so hurry up!”

* * *

The Nahel Argama was gigantic. It was much longer than the Audhumla, its many runways protruding far across the runway. The many cargo bays were open, revealing countless mobile suits and engineers. Amuro spotted a blue suit which looked suspiciously like the Zeta Gundam but was much larger. That must be the Double Zeta Judau had mentioned. Before he could get a better look he and the rest of the group were rushed into the colossal ship.

The inside was familiar yet foreign, confusing Amuro immensely; it was very reminiscent of the White Base. He felt that he should know where each corridor went, but as Torres led the motley crew through the ship he only felt more lost. By the time they reached the meeting room, he was just glad the journey was over.

Inside the room, Bright and Hayato stood near a table, both looking grim. The rapid conversation amongst the younger pilots quickly died down as they sensed the worrying atmosphere.  
“Hey, captain. We’re back.” Judau walked into the room, his bubbly personality unquashed. 

“Is everything okay?” Iino asked nervously. Bright sighed, and gestured for them to come in. Somehow, he seemed more tired than the last time Amuro had seen him. The door slid shut behind them. 

“We’ve received information from the Earth Federation about Axis Zeon’s next move.” He stated. 

“Currently, a colony is travelling towards the Earth sphere. In around three hours, that colony is going to collide with Dublin.”

Amuro’s blood went cold. The room went silent. 

“Can we stop it?” Roux asked quietly. Bright shook his head.

“The Earth Federation is under Zeon’s thumb, and the AEUG doesn’t have the ability to divert its course. The only thing we can do is evacuate as many people as we can.”

Amuro’s insides were churning. He had seen the scars carved into the Earth by Operation British, had experienced the immolation of entire towns for Zeon’s rampage. And now it was happening again, and he could do nothing to stop it.

“Char and I can help with the evacuations.” He offered, voice only wobbling a little. “If there are any spare mobile suits. Right, Char?”

He looked over to him. Char’s face was completely blank. It was far more frightening than any angry outburst.

“Thank you for offering - we’ll need all the help we can get.” Hayato muttered. He took a deep breath, then faced the pilots with fresh determination.

“Alright. Here’s the plan.”

* * *

Despite the warm sunlight flooding into Amuro’s cabin, he still felt cold. After the meeting Char and Amuro had returned to the Audhumla in a daze. Their aimless walk had led them to Amuro’s room where they had both remained, processing their feelings in silence. Once again they were far above the ground, the Audhumla’s belly scraping the clouds.

Hundreds of thousands would die. Realistically, the AEUG could save a few thousand at most. It had been a while since Amuro had been in the heart of war, but he had never forgotten the awful pain of feeling helpless against a vicious, uncaring enemy. That feeling tore through him now, making his heart feel as if it were bleeding.

Char was ominously silent. He stood by the porthole, staring at the sky. had said nothing at the meeting. Amuro was desperate for him to say something, anything. 

“Char?” He said tentatively. He walked close to him. Close enough to touch. To reach out and hold him tight. He didn’t.

“Tell me you’re okay.” He pleaded. Char didn’t look at him. Slowly, his blank expression curled into disgust.

“Humanity has learned nothing.” He spat. “No matter what we do now, this will happen again. And again. The lives we save will just be sacrificed in the next battle.”

“Char…”

“There’s no point!” Char was yelling. Amuro shrank away, eyes wide. “I should be up there, killing Haman myself. Not that this world deserves it. They’re all just like her! They don’t care about Earth.” 

“That’s – that’s not true.” Amuro replied. “There are so many people that care. What about us? Don’t we count for something?”

“What can we do?” Char laughed bitterly. “Nothing ever changes.”

“We can try.” Amuro retorted. “Isn’t that good enough?”

Char’s expression went back to being blank. Amuro could feel the venomous anger rolling off him in waves. 

“Help with the evacuation. Please.” 

Char didn’t respond. He turned to look at Amuro. He took a step towards him and drew him into a kiss. It felt painfully hollow, as if the rough embrace was only for Char’s benefit. Amuro kissed him back anyway. If nothing else, the proximity calmed him for a fleeting moment. But it was tainted by his knowledge of the future. He knew he would not feel calm again for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ruh roh shaggy
> 
> (bonus fanart of amuro and char's new looks! https://rain-mirage.tumblr.com/post/176331438545/op-shop-gays-out-on-the-town)


	11. Evacuation

The Nahel Argama cut through the sky much more smoothly than the Audhumla. From the briefing room, Amuro could barely even hear the engines far below. The quieter journey did nothing to put him at ease, however. He doubted anything could quell the persistent dread accumulating in his gut. 

Bright stood ramrod straight, hands held behind his back. His dark eyes looked jaded, piercing through Amuro. They were the only two in the room. Chairs stood hidebound in rows behind them, for soldiers the Nahel Argama didn’t have. 

“It’s good to see you again.” Bright broke the silence. Amuro ran a hand through his hair.

“I just wish it could be in different circumstances.” He replied with a faint smile. It quickly evaporated. Bright sighed.

“It never ends, does it? One war after another, until there’s nothing but rubble.” He muttered. After a moment of silence, he seemed to find his resolve again.

“Thank you for offering to help. After talking to Hayato I understand using a mobile suit wouldn’t be practical.” He said, impressively tactfully. “As such, I’d like you and lieutenant Quattro to evacuate the hospital with Beltorchika. I hear she’s had extensive training piloting a Suit Carrier.” 

“Alright.” Amuro said. Internally, his stomach was tying itself into knots. It wasn’t just the dread of the colony that had frayed his nerves; he was intensely worried about Char. He hadn’t ever felt such anger, not even after Lalah’s death. It had been all-consuming, like a black hole spreading out from Char’s heart. 

“I presume Kamille and Fa will want to help as well.” Bright continued. “Do you think you’d be able to keep them out of trouble?”

“I won’t let anything happen to them.” He promised. His gaze wandered to the porthole. Endless soft blue. It was tragically peaceful.

“Do you think we can win?” He asked.

“I have no idea.” Bright admitted. “Haman was nearly unstoppable at Gryps. But Judau’s a powerful Newtype. If anyone can beat her, he can.”

Amuro didn’t reply. Judau looked younger than he had been during the One Year War. No teenager should carry the world on their shoulders like that.

Bright clearly sensed the gloom descending upon Amuro and quickly interjected. “You five will depart in fifteen minutes from the starboard runway. Get some rest before then - you look worn out.”

“Thank you. I’ll certainly try.”

* * *

There was no hope of rest. He felt like a coiled spring, full of nervous energy eager to explode at a moment’s notice. Instead he found himself travelling towards the mobile suit bay. 

The bay was a cacophony of machinery and yelling. Everywhere Amuro looked there were mobile suits and aircraft, being checked by their pilots over and over again. Amongst the Gundarium jungle Amuro spotted the Double Zeta, towering above the others. He also saw the Hyaku Shiki. Its lustre had faded, the golden armour now covered in scratches and patchwork repairs. His mind wandered to the first time he had seen it. Seeing Char in the cockpit had felt like a dream.

“Amuro!” A call from behind him nearly made Amuro jump out of his skin. He whipped around to see Beltorchika, with an engineer Amuro hadn’t met not far behind. 

“Are you all ready for departure?” Beltorchika asked. She had changed into a pilot suit, her hair swept into a bun. She positively glowed compared to the man walking with her, who looked like he’d been in an accident involving several oil cans.

“Uh, not really. I just got here.” Amuro replied. Beltorchika beamed at him. Although she seemed happy, Amuro could feel her uneasy emotions simmering beneath the surface.

“Have you met Astonaige? He was an engineer on the Argama as well.” She smiled at the bedraggled man. He waved at Amuro, a wrench in his hand. His light brown hair fell over his forehead in a curl, which he wiped the back of his hand on. 

“Pleasure to meet’cha, Amuro Ray.” He grinned. Amuro managed to muster up a watery smile. Astonaige gestured towards a bulky aircraft a few metres away, painted dark blue.

“She’s an old model, but everything checks out. There are no weapons, but Elle will give you cover in a Nemo.”

“How many evacuees can it hold?” Beltorchika asked. Astonaige scratched his chin. It left a smudge on his face.

“Maybe thirty at a time, if they’re lying down. There’s about enough time for four trips if you hurry.” He replied. “There’s a lot more ships that need checking, so I’ll leave you to it. You haven’t seen Torres around, have you? He was supposed to bring me some data chips.”

“Sorry, I haven’t seen him.” Amuro replied. Astonaige looked exasperated.

“I bet he got distracted somewhere.” He muttered. After a quick salute he was off, zigzagging through the cluttered bay. Beltorchika’s mouth crept into a sly smile.

“He thinks nobody knows they’re dating, but Torres can’t keep his mouth shut about anything. I’ve only been here for half an hour and he’s already told me twice!”

Her smile grew wider. “And how are you and Quattro going?”

Amuro’s expression must have betrayed his thoughts, because Beltorchika’s face immediately scrunched in worry. “Did something happen?”

“It’s… Complicated.” He professed. “But since he heard about the colony drop, he’s looked… Angry. I can feel how angry he is whenever I’m near him. It’s scary.”

Beltorchika looked troubled. “He always seems so calm. Well, don’t worry. I’ll be there, and we should be far away from the fighting.”

“Fighting?”

“You haven’t heard? The place is crawling with Neo Zeon mobile suits. They want to destroy the AEUG in one fell swoop.” Beltorchika replied quietly. Her voice wobbled a little. Amuro frowned in disgust. He wanted to spit vitriol, but Beltorchika’s nervous expression stopped him. He would surely only make her feel worse by being angry. Instead he gave her a hug. 

“It’s going to be alright.” He said as confidently as he could. She crushed him into the hug for a moment, then stepped back and smiled gratefully. 

_Beep!_

The ship’s loudspeaker crackled to life. The whole mobile suit bay ground to a halt to listen.

“We arrive in five minutes. First wave, prepare for take-off!” Torres’ voice floated through the huge hangar. As soon as it clicked off again, the room erupted into motion.

“We’d better get ready.” Beltorchika held Amuro’s hand and led him towards the Suit Carrier. As they approached the cockpit’s door, he saw Char, Kamille and Fa. Fa was talking animatedly to Kamille, while Char leant against the side of the Carrier silently. He wasn’t wearing his sunglasses. Something about that made Amuro feel uneasy.

Kamille noticed him and Beltorchika first. He caught Fa’s attention, who ran over to greet them. 

“Are we ready to go?” She asked. Beltorchika nodded.

“We’ll leave immediately after Elle, so get ready.” She ordered. “Lieutenant Quattro, will you be my co-pilot?”

Char dipped his head in agreement and walked towards the cockpit door. 

“Quattro isn’t necessary. I’d rather you call me Char.” He said, before slipping inside.

Amuro and Beltorchika stared at the door, then each other.

“You were right. The colony drop has done something funny to him.” Beltorchika murmured. Amuro’s mouth set into a grim line.

“Well, you’d better get into your seat. We’ll be leaving soon.”

* * *

The Suit Carrier’s interior was spacious, shaped in a long rectangle. The walls were lined with harnesses to hold mobile suits, but they lay empty. A row of chairs was bolted to the walls, which Amuro, Kamille and Fa were seated on. During their turbulent take off the Carrier had rattled ominously, but it subsided to gentle tremors once they were free of the Nahel Argama. As they flew towards Dublin, Amuro craned his neck to stare out the porthole.

The city was sprawling, a mismatch of new and old. It had once surely been beautiful, with its snaking river and spiralling skyscrapers. Now it was a battlefield. Great plumes of smoke rose from smouldering buildings, and craters had been burned into the earth from beam rifles. Axis mobile suits looked like specks in the distance, already fighting the AEUG’s pilots.

“We’re landing!” Beltorchika called through the ship’s loudspeaker. Amuro tore his eyes away from the unfolding destruction to sit properly in his chair. His stomach lurched as the Carrier descended sharply.

“Hold my hand, Kamille. I’m scared.” Fa said quietly. 

“I am too.” Kamille murmured. They went silent as the ship finished its plunge to the ground. The engines roared, the walls rattled – then it was over. The Carrier powered down with a hiss. Amuro pushed himself out of his seat and headed to the Carrier’s doors.

_Clang!_

They flew upon before he had a chance to reach them. The sudden light made him wince. When his eyes adjusted he saw Char, a rifle slung under his arm. He threw Amuro a second gun.  
“Kamille, Fa, go evacuate patients from the hospital.” He ordered. His piercing gaze bored into Amuro. “You and I will stand guard.”

For a moment, Amuro didn’t understand. Their guns would be useless against a mobile suit. As they emerged from the Carrier, however, he realised why they would be necessary.

The roads around the hospital were choked in empty cars, the occupants of which had spilled into the streets. Panicked families rushed in every direction, desperately searching for an escape. A few people had already taken notice of the Suit Carrier, eyeing it warily.

“This aircraft is picking up hospital evacuees only.” Char barked, brandishing his rifle. The crowd recoiled instantly. Amuro stared at him in horror.

“There’s no need to threaten them!” He protested. He glanced behind them. Kamille and Fa ran towards the hospital doors, Beltorchika close behind. Certain they were safe, he turned back to the crowd.  
“Please be patient! There will be more evacuation ships!” He yelled. He didn’t mention how few people those ships would be able to rescue. It made him sick to think about. 

“Like hell there will!” A young man yelled from the rabble. He stormed towards them, ignoring Char’s raised rifle. “The Earth Federation has just left us to die here!”

Amuro saw a glint of metal in the man’s hand. “Char!”

_Bang!_

The shot echoed for what felt like hours. The man’s head snapped back, blood arcing through the air from the hole in his forehead. His body crumpled to the ground, twitched, and lay still. Amuro staggered backwards. He couldn’t speak. Char turned to the rest of the crowd, eyes frenzied.

“Any more selfish scum?” He yelled. The horrified crowd quickly dispersed, scattering in every direction. Amuro felt bile rise in his throat.

“You didn’t have to kill him!” He cried. Char glared at him contemptuously. 

“People like him don’t deserve to survive. Selfish Earthnoids only thinking about themselves is how the Earth came to be this way in the first place. He’s no better than Zeon.” He snapped. Amuro stared at him. He knew Char had always felt this way, but it had never been so hateful.

“How are you better than Zeon for killing him?” He challenged. 

Before Char could reply, the air was filled with a familiar thud that made Amuro’s stomach drop. A gigantic shadow fell over them, confirming his fears. Looking up, Amuro saw a deep green Marasai towering above them, only a few metres away from the hospital. It hadn’t noticed them yet, its singular eye sweeping the skyline. 

_Pow! Pow! Pow!_

A flurry of beams sliced through the air around the mobile suit. One bullet plunged into the Marasai’s head, causing the gargantuan suit to lurch backwards. 

Amuro could only watched as the suit toppled over. After a few seconds of teetering the suit smashed into the hospital. Its torso crushed the roof like it was nothing, only coming to a stop after several floors had been demolished. His heart skipped a beat.

Before he knew it, he was running towards the doors. He threw his gun aside and ran into the lobby. To his relief he saw Fa and Beltorchika in the corridor. They were followed by a small group of people, all staring at the ceiling in fear. 

“You’ve got to get out of here!” He said, running to them. Fa looked at him with wide eyes.

She was so frightened she could barely whisper. “Kamille’s still in there.”

Amuro felt an overwhelming sense of dread build in his gut. His chest felt impossibly tight, like he was being crushed alive. He stumbled past Fa, vision tunnelling until all the could see was the end of the corridor. 

“Amuro!” He heard Char’s voice far behind him. He didn’t stop. 

He quickly reached the beginning of the destruction. Eventually the corridors just ended, some completely blocked by rubble. He raced past closed doors, letting a building feeling of prescience lead him towards Kamille. 

There. Kamille lay on the ground, partly covered in debris. The ceiling had collapsed above him. Amuro knelt beside him, heart racing.

“Kamille. Kamille, it’s me. It’s Amuro.” He gently lifted his head. He was covered in scratches, and a particularly bad cut just above his left eyebrow. His unfocused eyes slowly opened, gazing upon Amuro impassively.

“Amuro…?” He mumbled. He looked around groggily, then winced. “What happened?”

“A mobile suit crashed. We have to get out of here, it’s not safe.” Amuro said, still trying to slow his racing heart. Kamille was safe, so why did he still feel such powerful foreboding?

“I can walk, I think.” Kamille said, clutching onto Amuro’s shoulder. He slowly lifted Kamille to his feet. He then looked down the corridor both ways.

“Do you know the way to the exit?” He asked. Kamille shook his head. 

“I think there’s a map that way, though.” He said, gesturing the way Amuro had come. 

“Alright. Stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.” Amuro said before hurrying off. He was loathe to leave Kamille alone, but the ominous feeling was growing stronger – they needed to get out as fast as possible. He turned a corner.

_Click._

He heard the gun before he felt it, cool on his forehead. The feeling of fear hit its crescendo. He couldn’t move. He could only stare at the man in a Neo Zeon pilot uniform holding a gun to his head. He was bleeding profusely from his other arm. The man chuckled, a deep rasp like sandpaper. His eyes were wild, those of a man who knew his hours were numbered.

“At least if I die today, I get to take an Earthnoid with me.”

What happened next, Amuro did not fully comprehend. A red blur flew in from the side, slamming into the Zeon soldier. 

Time slowed down. 

The man stumbled backwards.

_Bang!_

Amuro felt a vicious pain in his shoulder. His legs gave out, sending him crumpling to the floor. The cool linoleum felt nice on his cheek. It dampened the hellish heat that was blossoming in his arm.

He saw Char. He was punching the Zeon soldier again and again. Amuro wanted to reach out, to touch him, to stop him. But he couldn’t move. He could only watch, and slowly slip into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reeeeeee angst time!!


	12. Sacrificial

_The feeling of the Gundam’s cockpit was unmistakable. The smell of oil, metal, sweat. The electric buzz in the air that tickled the nape of your neck. The constant alerts going off faster than you could hope to react. The shudders that spiked your adrenaline, until you could hear your blood vessels pounding. It was hellish._

_The screen was black. The outside world seemed so far away. Amuro could hear somebody yelling instructions in his ear, but he couldn’t understand them. He reached for the controls, but he couldn’t seem to use them – his hands were shaking too much._

_He felt claustrophobic, like the cockpit was crushing him. The person yelling at him got louder._

_“Amuro.”_

_“Amuro.”_

* * *

“Amuro!” Amuro didn’t want to open his eyes. His whole body felt impossibly heavy. As his mind slowly came to, he realised he was being carried. He forced his eyes open. 

He was staring up at the sky. It was dark with smoke. His bleary eyes slid down. He saw Char, face bloody. He could have sworn he saw tears on his cheeks. Amuro tried to move, and winced. There was a pain in his shoulder, dull but throbbing. He decided not to look at it. The allure of sleep was too hard to resist, and he soon found his eyes sliding shut again.

* * *

The next time he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself on the floor. He lay on his back, staring up at the mobile suit bay’s roof. 

“Amuro! Thank goodness you’re awake.” The source of the voice was Fa, who knelt beside him. A first aid box sat beside her. Amuro tried to sit up, winced, and lay back down. 

“Don’t push yourself.” Fa warned. “You lost a lot of blood.”

Now that he thought about it, he did feel quite woozy. Amuro took in more of his surroundings. The mobile suit bay was nearly empty – only two mobile suits stood against the wall, both badly damaged. Some other people lay on the floor, none of whom Amuro recognised. Evacuees, he supposed. Looking down at himself, he saw his shoulder and upper arm had been bandaged. His chest was covered in a surprising number of bruises.

Fa looked shaken, but unharmed. She gave Amuro a weak smile and handed him a cup. “Here, drink this.”

He obediently sipped, only to find the liquid inside disgustingly bitter. He swallowed it with difficulty, then forced himself into a sitting position.

“Where’s everyone else?”

“Kamille is in the medical bay. He’s alright, but…” Fa trailed off. She sniffled, tears rolling down her cheeks. “He’s been through so much. It’s not fair.”

“You both have. Hopefully after this you won’t have to anymore.” Amuro said gently. “I’m going to get you kids away from all this fighting if it’s the last thing I do.”

His sentence spurred a thought. “Where’s Quattro?”

Fa shifted uncomfortably. “As soon as he brought you back, he went out in a Nemo. Beltorchika tried to stop him, but – he was terrifying. He looked furious.”

Amuro salt bolt upright despite the pain. He had an awful feeling that Char didn’t expect to return from this fight alive. He forced himself to his feet, despite Fa’s frantic protests.

“Amuro, please!”

“I have to go to the bridge. If he’s going to listen to anybody, it’ll be me.” Amuro said. 

“Well, let me help you then.” Fa replied, taking his uninjured arm.

Progress was slow. Amuro could only manage a slow walk, and every corridor they went down was filled with crew rushing to and fro. Every so often the growl of a mobile suit’s engine would come dangerously close, followed by bone rattling anti-aircraft fire.

Finally, they reached the Bridge. It, too, was a flurry of activity. Countless smaller screens littered the Nahel Argama’s main screen, displaying all manner of data. Bright looked determined, but Amuro could sense the underlying worry in his commanding voice. When Bright saw Amuro and Fa, he frowned.

“It’s not safe to be in here. You should be in the medical bay.”

“Where’s Quattro?” Amuro demanded. “I need to talk to him. I have to.”

“I’ve been trying to call him back, but he won’t respond!” Torres yelled. Another panel popped up on the screen. From a camera on the Nahel Argama’s side, a Nemo missing a leg could be seen. It moved impossibly fast, slicing through mobile suits without hesitation. 

Amuro struggled over to Torres. He immediately handed the headset to Amuro, with a look on his face akin to fear. 

“Char, do you read me? Char.” He tried to stop his voice from trembling. “Char, it’s Amuro.”

From the screen, Amuro saw the Nemo slow down. It dragged its beam saber through a Gaza-D, then turned to face the Nahel Argama. He could feel Char staring into his soul.

 _“Amuro, don’t you understand? I can’t allow any of these bastards to live. Not if they want to hurt you or Kamille.”_ Char’s voice was heavy, as though every breath he took was a challenge. 

The Nemo’s thrusters flared, sending it towards the Nahel Argama. It avoided a flurry of beams with ease, sending a single shot back that plunged through a Jamru Fin’s cockpit. Despite Char’s excellent piloting, it was clear the Nemo wasn’t keeping up. Amuro could now see the extensive damage to its chest and head.

“That doesn’t mean you have to die!” Amuro yelled back. 

_“Didn’t you say that I was just a human sacrifice?”_ A pause. _“This is all I can do. This is how it’s meant to end. I don’t deserve anything else.”_

“Don’t be an idiot.” Amuro was crying angry tears. “This isn’t what Lalah would have wanted!”

The Nemo froze. At that instant, a beam sliced through its arm. It exploded, sending the Nemo flying back. Amuro’s heart skipped a beat.

 _“Don’t tell me – what Lalah would have wanted.”_ Char rasped. 

“Fine. It’s not what I want. It’s not what Kamille wants. Stop being selfish for one goddamn moment and think about how much we need you!” He paused. “I need you.”

For a moment, Char didn’t respond. The Nemo struggled in the air, fighting for balance as its Vernier thrusters stopped working. 

Then, the Nemo turned. Amuro watched in disbelief as the battered mobile suit landed on the Nahel Argama’s runway, immediately slumping over in a smoking heap. He tore off the headset and stumbled back towards Fa. The sudden movement was painful, but that was the least important thing on his mind. He had to see Char.

It took forever to get back to the mobile suit bay, even with Fa’s help. When they finally arrived, the Nemo had already been brought inside. It looked so much worse up close. The head was barely attached, perched at an unnatural angle. Smoke curled from its joints. The cockpit had a dent in the front, which made Amuro want to retch.

The mobile suit was surrounded by mechanics, carefully checking that it wouldn’t explode. Astonaige was already on a scissor lift, ready to ascend to the cockpit. When he saw Amuro he paused. He smiled at Amuro, but his nervous gaze betrayed his worry. 

Once on the lift, Astonaige sent them slowly ascending. They didn’t have far to go; the Nemo was curled over as if it had been stabbed, propping itself up on its only remaining arm. You would never have known its paint had once been green – ash and smoke had stained it a pallid grey. The outside armour around the cockpit had broken off, leaving the door exposed.

“Lieutenant Quattro, can you hear me?” Astonaige banged on the dented door. There was no response. Panic rose in Amuro’s throat. Gripping the lift’s edge to bolster himself, he moved to the outside unlock mechanism. It was smashed to pieces, barely recognisable anymore.

_Woosh._

Startled, Amuro stepped back. The cockpit door slid open slowly, shuddering against twisted metal. Amuro didn’t want to look – but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

Char sat in the cockpit. His face was marred by a trail of blood that snaked from his forehead and fell on his stained shirt. His knuckles were skinned raw. A broken piece of metal had gouged into his thigh. His eyes were barely open, But Amuro knew he was looking at him.

After a moment, Char fell forward, apparently no longer having the energy to even sit up. Astonaige caught him and gently pulled him out of the cockpit. He slumped forward lifelessly. It hurt to see.

“Someone get Dr. Hasan!” Astonaige yelled. Amuro approached Char with trepidation. Once so imposing, the sense of anger seemed all but gone. In its place was exhaustion, and a near complete loss of purpose. As Astonaige lay Char down on the lift’s floor, Amuro knelt to join him. He found himself cradling Char’s head on his lap.

It was peculiar. Ever since they had met, there had been something between them. Be it physical space, moral divides, or Lalah’s death. Even the sunglasses Char wore felt like a barrier – a way of forgetting who he was, and with it how he felt about Amuro. 

Only now, as he gently held Char in his arms, was there nothing between them. No more anger. No more misconceptions. 

Char’s eyes opened slowly. He gazed at Amuro. 

“I’m sorry.” His voice was barely a whisper. “I was selfish.”

“You don’t need to be sorry.” Amuro smiled, tears already falling from his cheeks. “I’m just glad you’re still alive.”

* * *

The medical bay, despite being full of people, was quiet. Every bed was occupied, mostly by evacuees. Dr. Hasan flitted between the beds, administering an endless stream of care to the many injured.

Char lay in one such bed, eyes closed. His wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, but evidence of the fight lingered – the blood on his shirt, the bruises across his body. Amuro watched him dutifully. Although his eyes were closed, he knew Char wasn’t asleep.

After a long while, Char spoke.

“You didn’t have to bring Lalah into it.”

Amuro chuckled. “Well, I had to make you listen to me somehow.”

Char sighed. “I suppose we haven’t really moved on from her, no matter what we say.”

“It’s not bad to feel, you know.” Amuro replied. “Even the mighty Char can grieve.”

Char smiled. “Is that so?”

They fell silent. From the hospital’s one porthole, Amuro could see the battle far in the distance. It was coming to an end. Soon, the colony would land. There would be nothing left to do except pick up the pieces that had been left behind. He and Char were just two shards of that shrapnel.

“Char.” Amuro felt a strange sensation overcome him. It was as though something that he had known deep down for a long time had only just become clear.

“Amuro.” Char looked at him expectantly. 

“I love you.” Even as the words fell from his lips, he knew they were unnecessary. He already knew it, and so did Char.

“I love you too.” Char replied. “How silly that it’s been this long, and we’ve never said it out loud.”

“May I kiss you?”

“Only gently. I don’t think Dr. Hasan would agree with too much exertion.” Char replied wryly. Amuro leant over slowly. Their lips locked warmly. While their previous kisses had been passionate, this kiss felt like more. It felt like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit boi i die!!! shit boi


	13. Turmoil

Time had little meaning in the medical bay. It was so far estranged from the time-ruled hustle of the rest of the Nahel Argama – a small oasis of calm. Even the sky outside was little indication; thick ash obscured the portholes.

The colony had fallen. He saw it before he heard it – an explosion of red that set fire to the sky. Although they were many miles away, the mushroom cloud was sickeningly large on the horizon. The aftershock came soon after, sending the Nahel Argama tumbling to the side. It had almost made Amuro vomit. The only thing keeping him calm had been Char holding his hand.

At some point he must have succumbed to sleep, because he found himself resting on his folded arms, dozing on Char’s chest. His boyfriend(?) was fast asleep, a comfortingly calm expression on his face. Amuro kind of wanted to wake him up, just to hear his voice, but decided against it. He needed this rest, considering everything he’d been through.

“Ew. Can you, like, stop drooling over Quattro for a second?” A familiar voice behind Amuro made him jump. He turned to face Kamille, cheeks already heating up.

“Kamille!” He smiled sheepishly. Then, his embarrassment subsided, replaced by worry.

Are you alright?” He asked. Kamille shrugged.

“The doctor said it was no biggie.” He replied. “I think he’s pretty tired of seeing me, though.”

Kamille’s eyes wandered to the blackened windows. “This fucking sucks.”

Normally, Amuro would have chastised his language. Now, however, it felt warranted. The horrific brutality of the colony drop was too immense to even comprehend. For every survivor on board the Nahel Argama, dozens more had been murdered in Neo Zeon’s tyrannical pursuit of power. Even after seeing the endless horror of the One Year War, considering the sheer magnitude of Neo Zeon’s destruction seemed impossible.

“There’s a debriefing in five minutes. You don’t have to come, but Bright said you might want to.” Kamille said. Amuro felt a profound sense of foreboding overcome him.

“Alright then.” He slowly got to his feet, wincing at his aching muscles. His shoulder was painfully stiff, the dull ache spiking whenever he moved his left arm.

He glanced down at Char. He was still fast asleep. The temptation to wake him up was strong, but Amuro resisted it, instead following Kamille out of the cramped medical bay.

The Nahel Argama was busy, but the solemn atmosphere seemed to crush the enthusiasm out of everybody’s movements. Beecha and Mondo passed them on their way to the meeting room. For the first time since Amuro had met them, they were silent, their usual rapport gone. Even Haro was quiet, bundled silently under Roux’s arm.

The meeting room was similarly somber. It was the same room where Amuro had talked to Bright before the drop – now, however, the room was packed to the brim. Crew idled in their seats and leaning against the wall, several with worrying injuries. Bright stood in front of them all, his stoic expression unwavering. It was a familiar comfort that Amuro greatly appreciated. After a few moments of more people shuffling into the room, Bright seemed to steel himself.

“Before anything else is said, I must thank you all.” He began. “What happened today was a catastrophe, mitigated only by the AEUG’s involvement and the hard work of all of you. The Audhumla and the Nahel Argama were able to save about a thousand people, and I’ve had word that several thousand more were able to evacuate the city on land. However, the casualty count is immense. Many AEUG members lost their lives today. There are eleven confirmed casualties so far.”

Bright paused. “Coralie Weiss. Alveo Ismuth. Kievo Morrison…”

The list went on endlessly. Amuro didn’t recognise any of the names, which gave him a morbid sense of relief. That is, until the end of the list.

“Hayato Kobayashi.”

It felt like a punch to the gut. Amuro stared at Bright, trying to comprehend it. He couldn’t. He could only stand in a daze, the rest of the meeting fading away to background noise. At some point, Bright stopped talking and his audience shuffled out of the room.

“Amuro.” At hearing his name, the world seemed to slowly come back into focus. Amuro looked blankly at Bright, who said something else that he didn’t register.

“What?”

“I’m sorry about what happened to you and Quattro. I had hoped you would be safe, but it seems Neo Zeon has no respect even for evacuating the injured.” Bright said. Amuro made an affirmative noise. He felt oddly disconnected.

“Now that it’s over I know you, Quattro and Kamille will be wanting to get off the Nahel Argama as soon as possible. I’ve been in contact with Sayla.” He continued. “She’s currently living in Dieppe and has agreed to accommodate you. I doubt she’s forgiven Quattro, however, so you may want to talk to him about this.”

Amuro slowly processed Bright’s words. When it had finally all sunken in, he smiled weakly.

“Thank you, Bright. For everything.” He said. Bright’s mouth crept into a sad smile.

“It’s the least I can do. Everything you’ve been through – even back then… You deserve a break.”

Bright glanced at a clock on the wall. “I’m afraid I’ve got to return to the bridge. The Nahel Argama will fly over western France in about an hour. We’ll drop you off then.”

* * *

By the time Amuro returned to the medical bay, Char was awake. He sat up in bed, looking nowhere in particular. When he noticed Amuro, a flicker of worry strayed across his face. Amuro sat on the bed next to him.

“You don’t look well.” Char gently probed. Amuro tried to smile, but it came out wobbly.

“I was in the debriefing. It’s not so bad, apparently lots of people got evacuated- “His sentence broke off, interrupted by a choking sob. Tears stung at his eyes. Char gently pulled him close. All those years of friendship snuffed out in an instant.

“Hayato died.” He managed to say between sharp breaths. “I let Katz die, and now he’s dead, and Fraw, oh, Fraw – “

He couldn’t continue speaking. For a while they both sat there, Amuro’s tears eventually slowing, his breaths levelling. Once the sharp pain in his heart had subsided to a regretful ache, he sat up again, wiping his slightly puffy eyes.

“I’m sorry. So many people have died, I should be able to handle it better by now.” He mumbled.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Lives don’t lose value just because more are lost.” Char replied. Amuro nodded, wiping his face on his sleeve.

“It wasn’t all bad news at the meeting.” He said. “Bright said we’re getting dropped off in an hour, in Dieppe.”

“Why there?” Char asked. Amuro shifted uncomfortably.

“Because that’s where Sayla lives.” He replied. Char’s face only changed minutely. The sides of his lips twitched down, his brow furrowed slightly. To Amuro each tiny expression betrayed a magnitude of emotion. He rubbed his nose, his hands desperate to fidget.

“Bright said he talked to her, and she’s letting us stay with her. I know you and her aren’t on super good terms, but – “

“That’s rather an understatement.” Char replied. “I betrayed Artesia. I left her alone, without parents, without anyone.”

Artesia? It was the first time Amuro had heard that name.

“I would understand completely if she never wanted to see me again. That she invited us is…” Char trailed off.

“Maybe she’s ready to forgive you.” Amuro said softly. Char looked away.

“She shouldn’t be.” He muttered. “What I did to her was cruel. I was so selfish. I wanted revenge on the people who took away my family, but in doing so I took away her family.”

Amuro went quiet. On the White Base, Sayla had rarely talked about her past. All he had gathered was that she came from Texas Colony, and rarely – if ever – talked about a man called Teabolo, who Amuro had assumed to be her father. Of course, Sayla had told him the truth eventually. That Char was her brother.

“Well, she’s given us a chance to see her. I think we should take it.” Amuro said. “Plus, it’ll finally get Kamille away from all this fighting.”

Char seemed to grimace a little more – but then sighed, and nodded.

“Alright. For Kamille.”

* * *

The farewells were brief. Beltorchika swamped Amuro with hugs and kisses, nearly bowling him over with the strength of her hugs. Bright’s handshake was, while more formal, still emotional. Amuro ended up hugging him anyway, much to his discomfort. Although their goodbye could easily have felt final, deep down Amuro could feel that they would meet again. Hopefully next time it wouldn’t be captain and pilot, but as friends.

The gaggle of younger pilots crowded around them too, upset that they had to say goodbye to their newest friends.

“We’ll keep the Zeta safe!” Judau yelled, waving frantically. “And when we come back to Earth, we’ll visit you!”

Fa had, of course, demanded to come. There had been no protests and now she too sat in the small transport shuttle, ready for departure. Kamille sat beside her, nibbling his thumbnail. Amuro suspected she was just as eager to escape the endless conflict as he was.

The shuttle was small – smaller even than the suit carrier. It was, however, much more modern, and didn’t shudder nearly as violently. As they descended through the clouds towards the craggy shore, Amuro found himself filled with a strange, although not unwelcome, sensation.  
Char, Kamille, Fa - He was surrounded by his family. And for once, he didn’t have to constantly fear their death. He could relax, content in their presence, knowing that tomorrow they would be there just the same.

* * *

Sayla’s mansion was large. It sat only a short distance from the beach, its huge gardens fenced off by old stone walls. In the distance, a small village was faintly visible, framed by soft blue mountains on the horizon. It was wonderfully peaceful, the only sounds those of birdsong, and the gentle ocean wind.

The building itself was a mix of old and new, antique designs emulated by modern materials. As they approached it, however, Amuro couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. It had been such a long time since he had seen Sayla. How different would she be?

The door was incredibly foreboding in front of them.

It took a while to build up the courage, but eventually Amuro rang the doorbell. For a moment they stood in tense silence.

Then, the door slowly opened.

“Casval.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :333c


	14. Conclusion

The drawing room was large, carefully decorated with minimalism in mind. Everywhere Amuro looked, he saw traces of Sayla. An old pilot’s helmet, resting on a cabinet. A series of framed photographs, glass shining from the sun. One of them was of the White Base Crew – he spotted himself smiling from the front row. The other photos he didn’t recognise. One, however, was of a clearly very young Sayla, with a young boy that Amuro recognised at once.

The room was also exceedingly bright, with two huge windows looking out onto a gently sloping garden. Sayla looked out one of the windows, before sitting down opposite Amuro. She wore a blue and white suit, an air of elegance suggesting this wasn’t just her dressing for the occasion, but a regular occurrence. Char sat back in his chair, pushed back a little way from the table. He looked visibly uncomfortable. 

The silence in the room felt like an oppressive blanket. Amuro sipped his tea nervously, glancing around. Through the window he saw Fa and Kamille. They had said they wanted to explore, but it seemed they had met a young girl, who was talking animatedly with them.

“Is that girl a relative?” Amuro asked. Sayla shook her head. 

“Leina? She’s my guest. She almost got killed by being with the Nahel Argama’s crew.” She replied. The Nahel Argama? It seemed no matter where he went, the AEUG’s shadow followed.

“Her brother Judau is one of the new pilots. I suppose you’ve met him.” Sayla continued. Amuro nodded.

“He’s alright, which I’m sure Leina will want to know.” He said with a weak smile.

“I’m glad. A close brother becoming distant can be traumatising for a child.” She replied coldly. Amuro’s mouth went dry. Char’s eyes, somewhat hidden by his long hair, stared unwaveringly down. After a short while they crept up to meet Sayla’s gaze.

“Artesia- “

“Sayla. Artesia died a long time ago. Just like the real Char Aznable.” Sayla snapped. “But I suppose you’re not Casval, either. You’re Quattro now, aren’t you? I hear about you from friends. The confident AEUG pilot who dresses in red with a mysterious past. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together. A new name, again. Is this your way of trying to run from the past?”

Char looked away. “Is it so bad to want to start again?”

“Only if you leave everyone behind.” Sayla replied acidly. “Do you even realise how selfish you are? Every time you start again, you leave people wondering where you went. Did you think about me when you were away, killing people in that red Zaku?”

“I didn’t leave just for me.” Char replied sharply. “The Zabis were murderers. They killed our parents! They left us alone to die at Kycilia’s hand!”

“No, Char. _You_ left me alone.” Sayla’s voice was terrifyingly calm. “You were the only family I had, and you left. You don’t understand it, do you? You did exactly what the Zabis did.”

The room went silent. Amuro felt as though if he breathed, the air would shatter like glass. Char’s face was black, deep waves of regret emanating palpably from him. He could feel Sayla’s emotions, too. It wasn’t quite anger, although it surely had been long ago. Perhaps it was disappointment. Regardless, they both felt like knives through Amuro’s heart.

After a long silence, Char looked up. His expression was one of grim determination.

“Every day for the last ten years, I’ve wondered whether I made the right decision leaving you in Texas. I used to think so. Now I’m not so sure. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t know if I’d believe you if you did. All I ask is that you help me keep Kamille and Fa safe.”

With surprising calm, Char stood up. “If you’d excuse me, I’d like to check on them.”

He could feel Char’s emotions. They were like a glass too full of water, trembling on the brink. As he passed Amuro on his way to the door, he could have sworn he saw a tear trailing down his cheek. Part of him wanted to follow him, but another part knew he mustn’t.

The door clicked shut behind him. Amuro and Sayla were alone. Amuro exhaled, deflating a little.

“I’m sorry, Amuro.” Sayla murmured. “You shouldn’t have to be dragged into all of this.”

“It’s alright. I think I was dragged in the day I got in the Gundam.” He replied with a small smile. Sayla gazed out the window, a mournful look in her eyes.

“I’ve been working as a doctor with Karaba. I always wondered whether you and I would meet, but him… Never him. I always feared he would end up leading Zeon.” 

She looked at Amuro shrewdly. “I’m rather surprised he hasn’t.”

He felt a light blush on his cheeks. “Well, I think looking after Kamille was good for him.”

“That blue-haired boy.” Sayla murmured. “Casval always was the protective older brother. I suppose he had to find a replacement.”

“Char hasn’t replaced you.” Amuro protested. Even as he said those words, however, he could feel the truth in Sayla’s statement. In his own strange way, Char wanted to protect people – Sayla, Lalah, Kamille. Was his mentorship of Kamille his way of filling the void Sayla had left?

“I don’t understand most of what goes on in Char’s head.” Amuro admitted. “But I know he misses you. I missed you too.”

Sayla smiled a little. “I hope you didn’t come all this way just to confess your love, because I have a girlfriend.”

Amuro chuckled. “Don’t worry about that. You’re really, really nice, and fifteen year old me definitely had a crush on you, but I’ve realised since then I, um. I don’t swing that way.” He replied.

“Well look at you!” Sayla said with a smile. The tense atmosphere of the room had finally disappeared. He supposed Sayla was just as grateful for a normal conversation as he was.

“Is there a lucky guy?” She gently pried.

His feeling of calm instantly plunged into horror at the realisation of what he now had to tell Sayla. He felt his blush intensifying.

“Oh, well, you know… He’s… Uh…” His voice trailed off to barely a squeak. “Char.”

Sayla stared at him. Amuro valiantly tried to maintain eye contact, but after barely a few seconds glanced away, suddenly finding his knee incredibly interesting.

“He tried to kill you.” She said slowly.

“Yeah.”

“He nearly _did_ kill you.”

“Yeah.”

Sayla leant back on her chair. For a terrifying moment she was silent.

Then she began to laugh.

“I can’t believe you, Amuro. Anybody in the whole world, and you choose your sworn enemy.”

Her laughter was contagious. Amuro began to chuckle. It was pretty ridiculous, wasn’t it?

By the time their laughter had subsided, they were both feeling decidedly better. Sayla took a deep breath and seemed to become serious once more.

“I don’t hate him.” She said. “I want to sometimes, but I can’t. And it sounds like he makes you happy, at least.”

She stood up. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to Leina.”

* * *

The day was long. Many hours were spent with Sayla, telling her everything that had happened in the long years since they had last seen each other, and vice versa. Sayla had been in northern Africa with Karaba, at first fighting against the Titans, then Neo Zeon as they fought for a foothold in Dakar. It was there that she had crossed paths with Leina, assumed dead by the Nahel Argama’s crew. Judau was a powerful Newtype, however – Amuro had no doubt he knew his sister was still alive. 

There had been endless stories from everyone, of course. It seemed they had all lived lives both intertwined yet separate – but always interesting.

Initially, Sayla and Char kept their distance. Over the course of the day, however, Amuro was happy to see their walls slowly come down. A comment, a smile. Little things that reaffirmed their love for each other – even if they hadn’t quite reached forgiveness. It would be a long time before their relationship was repaired, but at least there was hope.

By the time the moon had risen high above them, Amuro was exhausted. As soon as Sayla showed them his and Char’s room (a point which embarrassed him greatly when Sayla said it, but that he was now grateful for), he slumped onto the bed.

“My shoulder hurts.” He mumbled into the duvet. Char sat on the bed beside him.

“I could ask Sayla for some painkillers.” He offered. Amuro shook his head, sitting up.

“It’s not that bad. It… It could’ve been a lot worse.” He looked into Char’s eyes. They were that familiar cold, blue shade – but they were completely unguarded, filled with emotion. Exhaustion, interest, affection.

“I don’t think I thanked you for saving me then.” Amuro said quietly, resting his head on Char’s shoulder. Char snorted.

“You, thank me? Don’t be ridiculous.” He replied. “You saved my life. You made me realise I was being stupid. Selfish. I should be thanking you. Without you around, I’m sure I’d end up making a fool of myself.”

“You do that when I’m around, too.” Amuro said with a chuckle. Char raised an eyebrow, his mouth creeping into a wry smile. In response he cupped Amuro’s cheek, drawing their lips together. He melted into the embrace gladly. He clutched his arms around Char, snuggling into his warmth. It was a cool night, but it only made cuddling Char even better.

Eventually, they found themselves in bed, still holding each other close. It was wonderfully warm, their bodies intertwined. Char’s hands trailed down his back, exploring his body as he peppered his neck with kisses. Amuro did the same, gently feeling the muscular curves of Char’s back.

“You make me feel so happy.” Char murmured in-between kisses. Amuro blushed, cradling Char’s face in his hands. He gently drew their mouths together, pushing into the kiss. Their embrace became more passionate, clothing slowly stripped away. Amuro reached for Char’s hand, their fingers interlacing.

“Char… Would you like to…”

“I would. I would love to.”

Their lips met once more. The moon shone above them, its pale light softly illuminating the room. Somewhere, surely, there was fighting. The endless battle between Earth and space raged on, perhaps even on the moon itself. 

But it wasn't their fight. Not anymore. 

And Amuro had a feeling that everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the last chapter. I've had immense fun with this fic, but I feel that it's reached its natural conclusion, and I feel satisfied ending the story here. I hope that this rewritten version of Zeta/ZZ has brought happiness to some of you out there, and that I can continue to explore Gundam in all its forms with this wonderful fandom. <3 <3
> 
> (If you want to yell with me about Gundam, hit me up at official-char-aznable on tumblr!)


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